Passing through Ulaanbaatar on a trip to Mongolia? Whether you want to immerse yourself in the country's history, learn more about Mongolian culture, art and folklore, or simply spend quality time with family, the city's museums are well worth exploring during your stay. Discover the best museums to visit in Ulaanbaatar.

The National Museum of Mongolia (Museum of National History)

If there's one museum you shouldn't miss in Mongolia's capital, it's the National Museum of Mongolia (formerly called the National History Museum). Considered the largest museum in the country, it offers a perfect introduction to Mongolia's history, from prehistoric times to the present day.

The ground floor is dedicated to ancient Mongolian history. You'll discover a fine collection of petroglyphs, reindeer stelae, and exhibits from Xiongnu and Uyghur burial sites. The first floor showcases the various Mongolian ethnic groups, displaying traditional costumes, jewelry, and cultural objects...

Finally, the top floor presents the history of the Mongolian hordes and allows you to trace the footsteps of one of history's greatest conquerors: Genghis Khan. You'll also find an exhibition on Mongolian culture where you can admire a traditionally furnished ger, as well as everyday tools and implements (agricultural equipment, musical instruments...).

The Winter Palace of Bogd Khan

The Winter Palace of the Bogdo Khan (or Museum of the Palace of Bogdo Khan) is one of the most important monuments in Mongolian history. Built between 1893 and 1906, it is Mongolia's oldest museum. The palace served as the winter residence of the eighth Buddhist leader of Mongolia, Bogd Khan, and his wife, Queen Dondogdulam. It is the only one of the Khan's four palaces still standing—the others were destroyed by the Russians during communist repression.

The winter palace, a two-story European-style building, houses numerous objects belonging to the last Bogd Khan, including paintings, clothing, gifts from foreign dignitaries, stuffed animals, and a ceremonial robe made from snow leopard fur... The Declaration of Independence of Mongolia is also on display here.

In addition to the palace, the site includes several pagodas whose architecture is inspired by Chinese temples. These house Buddhist artworks and thangkas (silk paintings) dating from the early twentieth century, as well as a collection of statues created by the first Bogd Khan of the country and his disciples in the eighteenth century.

The Choijin Lama Museum (or Choijin Lama Monastery)

Located in the heart of the city, south of Genghis Khan Square, the Choijin Lama Museum is one of downtown Ulaanbaatar's iconic museums. It is a Buddhist monastery that was originally the residence of Choijin Lama Luvsankhaidav, the younger brother of the eighth Bogd Khan.

The complex consists of five temples built between 1904 and 1908: the main Maharaj temple, the Zuu temple (dedicated to Sakyamuni), the Yadam temple, the Amgalan or Peace temple (dedicated to the first Mongolian reincarnation of Bogd Javzandamba, Zanabazar), and the Zankhan temple (where Choijin Luvsankhaidav meditated).

Converted into a museum in 1938, the temples display a rich collection of Buddhist artifacts. Among the religious, historical, and cultural treasures, you can admire paintings by Ts. Zanabazar, coral-embroidered masks for the Tsam dance ceremony, bronze statues of gods depicted in erotic poses, silk thangkas, and much more... The monastery also houses an eighteenth-century golden statue of Sakyamuni (the historical Buddha) with his two disciples.

The Genghis Khan National Museum

Inaugurated in 2022, the Genghis Khan National Museum (Chinggis Khaan national museum) stands out with its clean lines and white dome crowned with a golden eagle. It's one of the city's newest museums, yet it's already among the must-see attractions for any visit to Ulaanbaatar. The museum was even featured as one of the 20 top cultural destinations to visit in 2024 by National Geographic's Best of the World.

Inside, you'll find 15 exhibition halls spread across nine levels. The first two halls trace the history of ancient Mongolian states (before Genghis Khan) and introduce the country's earliest populations—the Xiongnu and Uyghur, Turkic, and Mongolian tribes. The following halls are dedicated to Emperor Genghis Khan, the foundation of his empire, and his descendants.

In total, the museum holds a collection of 10,000 objects and artifacts, and as stated on the museum's official website, over 90% of the artifacts are original pieces. The museum also houses a research library.

The Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts

The Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts (The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum) is dedicated to the arts of ancient civilizations up to the early twentieth century. With more than 16,000 objects, the museum's collection displays the artistic works of Mongolian masters from the eighteenth and twentieth centuries. You'll find, among others, rock inscriptions, Buddhist thangkas, embroidery, an impressive collection of masks used for the traditional Tsam dance during ceremonies...

Among the museum's most precious treasures, you'll find many works by the famous seventeenth-century Mongolian statesman and religious leader Zanabazar (such as the statues of Sita Tara, the Five Dhayani Buddhas, and the Bodhi Stupa) after whom the museum is named, as well as paintings by artist B. Sharav (including A Day in Mongolia and The Airag Festival), one of Mongolia's most celebrated twentieth-century artists.

It's worth noting that the museum building itself holds historical value. In fact, it was constructed in 1905 and is one of Ulaanbaatar's oldest Manchu commercial buildings. Before becoming a museum in 1966, the building first housed the Chinese Bank, Soviet troops in the 1920s, and then the State Department Store.

The Natural History Museum (with the former Central Museum of Dinosaurs)

The Ulaanbaatar Natural History Museum houses an extensive exhibition on Earth sciences, covering geology, geography, flora, fauna, and paleontology of the country. It's the perfect place to learn more about Mongolia's natural history.

Since 2019, following Government of Mongolia Resolution No. 281 of July 3, 2019, "on museum mergers," the former Central Museum of Dinosaurs was dissolved and merged with the Natural History Museum. Thus, the museum now offers a fine overview of Mongolia during the age of dinosaurs, with a rich collection on dinosaurs and prehistoric animals.

As a reminder, the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, along with the California Valley in the United States, are the world's two largest reserves of dinosaur bones and skeletons. Among the museum's centerpieces is the nearly complete skeleton of a Tarbosaurus bataar (cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex). You'll also find impressive nests of Protoceratops eggs.

One thing is certain: a visit to the Ulaanbaatar Natural History Museum will delight both young and old and should definitely be included in the itinerary of a family trip to Mongolia.

The International Intellectual Museum (Museum of International Intellectual Culture)

Mongols are among the peoples who have created the greatest number of riddle games and puzzles. So it's no surprise that Mongolia's capital has a museum dedicated to games: the International Intellectual Museum. Opened in the 1990s by curator Tumen-Ulzii Zandraa, it was the country's first private museum.

The museum houses an impressive collection of games from around the world, including puzzles, chess sets, dolls, brain-teasers, ancient games... You'll also find artworks such as games carved in wood, silver, gold, or precious stones.

All museum visits are guided by a guide who accompanies visitors to present the various games and even invite them to play some of them and solve riddles. It's a fun and engaging visit to do on a family trip.

*Information concerning opening hours, days of opening, and admission rates may change. Remember to check before planning your visit.

To learn more, also discover:

• A day trip discovering the must-see attractions of Ulaanbaatar
  What to do in Ulaanbaatar in 2 days?
• 10 exceptional monuments in Ulaanbaatar
• The 10 best restaurants in Ulaanbaatar
• The best backpacker hostels in Ulaanbaatar

Florine Dergelet