Yesterday, the Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Center’s consecration event was graced by Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen. The Venerable Dorji Lopen presided over the ceremony, which was attended by Their Majesties the Gyalyums, members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister, top officials, and dignitaries. Under the direction and effort of Her Majesty Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck, the ten-year project to repair the historic Wangduechhoeling Palace and create the Museum and Cultural Center got underway in 2012.
The project was carried out under the direction of the Bhutan Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development. International conservation specialists contributed to the ambitious endeavor by collaborating with Bhutanese craftspeople to strengthen local heritage conservation knowledge. Several Bhutanese antiquities from private collections overseas were donated to the Museum’s collection by friends of Bhutan, for which Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen expressed gratitude. The Royal Government of Bhutan, the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, and foreign contributors all contributed to the massive restoration project.
Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen and a Board of Directors shall oversee the Wangduecholing Palace Museum and Cultural Centre’s operations in accordance with a Royal Kasho awarded by His Majesty the King on April 25, 2024. The Museum is envisioned as a vibrant cultural organization that will present exhibitions, research projects, and educational programs that honor Bhutanese history as a living tradition. It seeks to increase understanding of Bhutan’s rich legacy by involving audiences from both domestic and foreign locations. Public access to the Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre is planned by 2025.
