Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
among other things, a furnished ger, traditional herding and domestic implements,
saddles and musical instruments. In the 20th-century-history section, look out for D
Sükhbaatar's famous hollow horsewhip, inside which he hid a secret letter written in
1920 by the Bogd Khan enlisting the aid of the Russian Red Army.
The final hall contains a self-congratulatory display of Mongolia's recent history and
the 1990 democratic revolution, with no mention of the breadlines of the early 1990s or
other hardships of the transition from communism to democracy.
Museum of Natural History
MUSEUM
(cnr Sükhbaataryn Gudamj & Sambugiin Örgön Chölöö)
Built in the 1950s, this antique building
served as a repository of natural exhibits for many decades. It contained displays of
Mongolia's geology, flora, fauna and fossils. However, at the time of research the build-
ing was closed due to structural damage.
Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts
MUSEUM
( 11-326 060; Juulchin Gudamj; adult/student T5000/2000; 9am-5.30pm)
This fine-arts
museum has a superb collection of paintings, carvings and sculptures, including many by
the revered sculptor and artist Zanabazar (
Click here
)
. It also contains other rare, and
sometimes old, religious exhibits such as scroll
thangka
(paintings) and Buddhist statues,
representing the best display of its kind in Mongolia. A bonus is that most of the exhibit
captions in the museum are in English.
The second room contains some fine examples of the sculptor's work, including five
Dhyani, or Contemplation, Buddhas (cast in 1683) and Tara in her 21 manifestations.
Also worth checking out are the wonderful
tsam
masks (worn by monks during reli-
gious ceremonies) and the intricate paintings,
One Day in Mongolia
and the
Airag Feast
,
by the renowned artist B Sharav. These paintings depict almost every aspect of nomadic
life.
As you enter the building, on the left a room displays ancient art, including deer stones
that date to the Bronze Age. To the right is a shop selling souvenirs and contemporary
art.
The building itself carries some historical value. It was built in 1905, making it one of
the oldest Manchu-era commercial buildings in the city. It was first used as a Chinese
Bank, Soviet troops stayed here in the 1920s and it later served as Ulaanbaatar's first
State Department Store. It has been an art museum since 1966.
