Located on Pyay Road in Yangon, The National Museum is a five-story building having an extensive collection of ancient artifacts, ornaments, works of art, inscriptions and historic memorabilia, which are related to history, culture and civilization of Burmese people.  

First opened in June, 1952 at the Jubilee Hall Building on Shwedagon Pagoda Road, Yangon, the museum was then moved to a larger location at 24/26 Pansodan Street in 1970, and to its present location in 1996. 

The museum is considered as a miniature model of the country of Myanmar. It shows every aspects of life and history of Burmese through 14 galleries: Myanmar Epigraphy and Calligraphy, Lion Throne, Yadanapon Period, Royal Regalia, Myanmar Historic Period, Myanmar Prehistoric period and Proto-historic period, Natural History, Myanmar Traditional Folk Art, Myanmar Performing, Myanmar Art Gallery (1) and (2), Myanmar Ancient Ornaments, Buddha Images, The Culture of National peace, Twelve national objectives and National Building Endeavours. To show the culture, in the Burmese Epigraphy and Calligraphy hall on the Ground Floor, you can see the exhibits on the origins and development of Burmese script/alphabet throughout history, as well as exhibits on other ancient and ethnic scripts. In the hall on culture are exhibits on Burmese rural life, covering social, economic and cultural traditions and modes of transport. The Halls of Arts describes the progress of the Burmese art, beginning with the cave paintings of from Stone Age to the Bagan, Innwa, Taungoo, Konbaung and Yadanabon periods to 20th century contemporary art. The works of famous artists are on display. Besides, you can find many musical instruments in the Hall of Performing Arts and national dresses as well as traditional artifacts of various ethnic groups of Myanmar in the Hall of Ethnic Culture on Fourth floor.

The history is shown in many halls such the exhibit hall on Natural History with many fossils dating back millions of years; the hall of Pre-historic Times with a replica of the Padalin Cave and exhibits on Pyu period artifacts; the hall of Burmese History with exhibits on the pagodas, temples, monasteries and ordination halls of the Bagan Period and the marvelous murals of the Pinya, Innwa, Taungoo and Kongbaung periods; the Royal Regalia hall with beautifully ornaments; the Throne Room with eight kinds of thrones of ancient Burmese kings; and the Yadanbon Priod Exhibit hall with clothing fashions, furniture and other household articles of the time.

The National Museum is a treasure for Burmese people who want to know more about their country’s past and for foreigners who want to gain knowledge and understanding of Myanmar and its people.