Lahore Museum, Lahore

The Lahore Museum was founded in 1894 in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1894 and stands on the intersection between the Mall and Lake Road and is the best museum in Pakistan.  It was designed by the celebrated Lahori architect, Sir Ganga Ram (1851-1927), sometimes described as ‘The father of Lahore’.  The foundation stone was laid by the Queen’s grandson, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence (1864-92), in 1890.

The museum records the development of the sub-continent from the Stone Age to the 21st century.  It is especially well known for its display of Gandharan sculpture (especially the Fasting Buddha), as well as for manuscripts, Qurans, miniatures and carpets.  It contains the only complete set of Pakistani stamps in existence.  Altogether there are 17 galleries. 

Outside it is the famous Kim’s Gun, or Zamzama Gun, made famous in the novel, Kim, by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936).  The author’s father, John Lockwood Kipling (1837-1911) was one of the earliest curators of the museum.