This indoor/outdoor complex has a lot of really precious artifacts from the fairly recent Bogd Khan era. Although there were no English explanations, the icons, art work and artifacts are fascinating. Np photos allowed inside.
This indoor/outdoor complex has a lot of really precious artifacts from the fairly recent Bogd Khan era. Although there were no English explanations, the icons, art work and artifacts are fascinating. Np photos allowed inside.
Dear Kathy0619,
Thank you for your review and for visiting our museum. We're glad you enjoyed the artifacts, icons, and art.
We apologize of there weren't sufficient english explanations, we are working accordingly to provide better display boards, texts and information before the upcoming 2018 Summer Schedule (April 15, 2018).
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the indoor photography tax. We are instructed by the Mongolian Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sport to charge thusly to prevent damages caused by camera flashes. We are currently working on reducing the indoor photography tax price for flash cameras and removing the indoor photography tax for mobile phones without flash, which is estimated to be in effect before the end of the 2018 Summer Schedule (September 15, 2018).
Lots of Buddists artefacts. When tired of them go to the winter palace where you can see how Bogd Khan, the last emperor of Mongolia lived. It is an astonishing story.
Very high price for taking pictures in the museum - 50 000 MNT.
Dear AnyaBelova,
Thank you for taking the time to write us a nice review.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the indoor photography tax. We are instructed by the Mongolian Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sport to charge for photographs to prevent damages caused by camera flashes. In response to the many suggestions we have received regarding the indoor photography tax, we have since lowered the price to 25,000 MNT (10 US).
The last palace left in UB. It's now a museum. The exterior of the palace is very old need a makeover. On the other hand, the rundown palace gave me a feel of the fallen Mongolian empire in few hundreds years ago. It has large display of the animals also Buddha statue. Taking photos need to pay few times more than the entrance fee which is not necessarily.
We headed off to visit the Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan (also called Jebtzun Damba Hutagt VIII), Mongolia’s last king and the eighth Living Buddha. The palace was built in the late 1800s. Somehow, this palace escaped destruction during the Stalin period and was turned into a museum. This is particularly strange as the summer palace was completely destroyed.
There was a fee to get in, which was to be expected, but there was also a fee for taking photos. They made good on us that day as we were all photographers! This fee is not unusual and we have encountered it in many of the Asian countries, especially in temples and palaces. I have no problem with that. They need to make money for up keep and I don’t mind helping.
There are six temples in the grounds and we visited each one. Most contain Buddhist artwork, including sculpture and thangka. In the palace itself, there is a large collection of stuffed animals which had been part of the Bogd Khan’s personal zoo, as well as gifts from around the world from foreign dignitaries (such as golden boots from a Russian tzar, a robe made form 80 foxes and a ger lined with skins of 150 snow leopards). Mongolia’s Declaration of Independence is also on display (Mongolia declared its independence on Dec 29, 1911).
The whole complex was done in a Chinese style with pagodas everywhere. The windows in the palace were reflecting the pagodas at that time of day, and that made for some beautiful pictures and beautiful sights. And in the palace building was a display of a famous painting by Marzan Sharav, a painter credited with the introduction of modern painting styles to Mongolia. The famous painting, A Day in Mongolia (done in the traditional zurag style). It was a beautiful painting showing the daily nomadic life in the early times. Birth of a baby, celebration of a new home, a wedding, moving the ger, chopping firewood, taking care of animals on a dairy farm, work of an undertaker, shearing animals and just everyday life.
A beautiful complex of buildings from the late XIX and early XX century, featuring a collection of statues in gold and copper, utensils, clothing, houseware and other surprises used by the Bod Khan. Souvenir store is well stocked, although items are excessively expensive. They charge a ridiculous fee to allow you take pictures.
The Soviet regime in Mongolia had destroyed most of UB's historical edifices and landmarks. Arguably one of the major remains of the pre-Soviet era. It's worth visiting if you are travelling to UB and the Museum of Bogd Khan in the compound is quite appealing. It's a mix between a Buddhist monastery and royal lavishness. If you are visiting the Zaisan memorial then you can take a one km walk from the foothills of the monument to reach the palace compound.