Sonargaon Museum (Folk Art Museum)

About Sonargaon Museum (Folk Art Museum)

The Folk Art and Crafts Foundation was set up in Sonargaon in 1975 at the initiative of the artist Zainul Abedin, who wanted to preserve the rural crafts of Bengal. Its museum, known locally as Lok Shilpa Jadughar, gathers woodcarving, terracotta, pottery, brass and copper work, masks, musical instruments, textiles and everyday village objects.

The collections are displayed in a modern gallery building and in the restored rooms of Boro Sardar Bari, the grand mansion inside the same grounds. Labels are limited, so a guide adds a lot, explaining how items like nakshi kantha quilts, jamdani saris and shital pati mats were made and used.

The grounds themselves are part of the pleasure: shaded paths, a lake with boats, a small craft village where artisans sometimes work and sell, and stalls of handmade goods. It sits a short walk from Panam City, so most visitors combine the two. Evergreen Bangladesh Tours includes the museum on private Sonargaon day trips from Dhaka.

Getting there

From Dhaka: drive about 25 to 30 km southeast on the Dhaka to Chittagong highway to Mograpara, then turn off to the museum. Allow one to two hours by car.

Panam City is a short walk or rickshaw ride from the museum gate.

Where to stay

Most visitors return to Dhaka the same day. A few simple resorts around Sonargaon suit travellers who want to linger.