The Buryat Historical Museum possesses a unique collection of Buddhist ritual art which survived the depredations of the 1930's. At that time most of our monasteries were destroyed and only a small fraction of our rich artistic and cultural heritage survived.
The museum has a good selection of thangkas, or religious scroll paintings, both from Buryatia and surrounding countries. Thangkas themselves were introduced into Buryatia from Tibet, China and Mongolia.
Thangkas are painted in rich, vibrant colours and adhere to stricticonographical forms. They depict Buddha, Bodhisattvas, other deities, and mandalas, and are not merely decorative works of art, but rather aids to meditation and contemplation.
We are now engaged in the renaissance of our culture, and the Buryat Historical Museum is pleased to do its part.