The short answer
Wankhar Entomology Museum: what visitors should know first
Worth a short stop if you enjoy natural history, especially with children; it is compact, unusual, and unlike anything else in the city. Do not expect a large modern museum, this is a small, personal collection built up over generations, and it can be done in well under an hour.
History and context
The story behind Wankhar Entomology Museum
The collection was started during the 1930s, in the British colonial period, by a member of the Wankhar family who married into a Khasi family and began gathering butterfly and moth specimens from the surrounding hills. The collection has been maintained and expanded by later generations of the family and now runs to several thousand specimens across butterflies, moths and other insects.
Useful facts
Wankhar Entomology Museum facts at a glance
- Location
- Riatsamthiah, about 2 km from Police Bazar
- Experience type
- Small private museum of pinned insect specimens
- Known for
- One of the largest butterfly and moth collections in India
- Architect/Built
- Collection begun in the 1930s by the Wankhar family
- Time or schedule
- Limited weekday hours; shorter on Saturday, closed Sunday
Why it matters
Why Wankhar Entomology Museum is worth your time
The museum represents one of the more unusual survivals of colonial-era natural history collecting in India: a family that began gathering insect specimens in the 1930s and has maintained and expanded that collection across generations, rather than seeing it absorbed into a state institution. That continuity, now run by a descendant of the original collectors, is part of what makes the museum distinctive.
The Khasi Hills around Shillong support an especially rich variety of butterflies and moths because of the region's steep altitude range and heavy rainfall, and the museum's collection reflects that local biodiversity directly rather than drawing on specimens from elsewhere. For visitors with an interest in natural history, it is a rare chance to see the insect life of Meghalaya's forests up close, in a setting shaped entirely by one family's long-running passion rather than institutional design.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
The butterfly and moth cases
Thousands of specimens gathered from the Khasi Hills are displayed by species across the museum's cases.
- 02
Rare and unusual insects
Alongside butterflies, the collection includes beetles, centipedes, millipedes and preserved tarantulas.
- 03
A family-run collection
Now cared for by a descendant of the original collectors, giving the museum a personal, first-hand character.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
This is India's only dedicated entomology museum, built from a private family collection rather than a state institution, and it feels that way: modest in scale, personal in presentation, and clearly the result of decades of dedicated collecting rather than a curated design brief. The main draw is the sheer number and variety of specimens, several thousand butterflies and moths pinned and displayed by species, alongside beetles, centipedes, millipedes and preserved tarantulas.
The collection began in the 1930s, during the British colonial period, when the Wankhar family started gathering specimens from the surrounding Khasi Hills, an area with an unusually high diversity of butterfly and moth species due to its varied altitude and rainfall. The museum today is still family-run, a detail worth mentioning to whoever is on duty, as they are often able to point out particular rarities in the cases.
Because it sits close to Police Bazar, it is easy to combine with a stroll through the shopping area or a stop at Lady Hydari Park nearby. It suits travellers with a specific interest in natural history or those looking to break up a day of markets and monuments with something quieter and more unusual.
Plan with confidence
Small decisions that make the visit easier.
- Check the shorter Saturday hours and Sunday closure before visiting
- Combine with Police Bazar or Lady Hydari Park nearby
- Ask museum staff about specific specimens; the collection is family-run and well known to them
- Keep visits brief if you are sensitive to close, dimly lit rooms
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Riatsamthiah, about 2 km from Police Bazar
- Time needed
- 20–40 minutes
- Best time
- Weekday mornings; the museum keeps shorter hours on Saturdays and is closed on Sundays
- Walking level
- Easy
- Senior comfort
- The museum is small and single-level in most sections, with display cases at a comfortable viewing height and no significant walking distance. It can feel a little dim and close in the display rooms; those sensitive to confined spaces may prefer a shorter visit.
- Tickets and access
- A small entry fee applies, with a higher rate for foreign visitors. Confirm current opening days and hours before travelling out, since they are shorter than a typical museum and vary between weekdays and Saturday.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Wankhar Entomology Museum
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
The museum is small and single-level in most sections, with display cases at a comfortable viewing height and no significant walking distance. It can feel a little dim and close in the display rooms; those sensitive to confined spaces may prefer a shorter visit.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Is the Wankhar Entomology Museum the same as the Butterfly Museum?
Yes, it is commonly known locally as the Butterfly Museum, though its formal name reflects its wider insect collection.
How long does a visit take?
Most visitors finish in twenty to forty minutes; it is a compact, single-collection museum rather than a large institution.
Is it open every day?
No, it keeps limited hours through the week, shorter hours on Saturday, and is closed on Sunday; confirm before travelling out.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
