Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen graced the consecration ceremony of the Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Center yesterday.

Their Majesties the Gyalyums, Members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister, senior officials, and dignitaries attended the ceremony, which was presided over by the Venerable Dorji Lopen.

The decade-long project to restore the historic Wangduechhoeling Palace and establish the Museum and Cultural Centre began in 2012 under the initiative and guidance of Her Majesty Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck.

Wangduechhoeling Palace

Led by the Bhutan Foundation, the project was implemented in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, Ministry of Home Affairs. The ambitious effort included contributions from international conservation experts, who worked alongside Bhutanese artisans to enhance local expertise in heritage conservation.

Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen thanked friends of Bhutan who contributed numerous Bhutanese artifacts from private collections abroad for the Museum’s collection.

The extensive restoration project received support from international donors, the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, and the Royal Government of Bhutan.

Under a Royal Kasho granted by His Majesty the King on April 25, 2024, the Wangduecholing Palace Museum and Cultural Centre will operate under the patronage of Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen and a Board of Directors. Envisioned as a dynamic cultural institution, the Museum will host educational programs, research initiatives, and exhibitions that celebrate Bhutanese history as a living tradition.

By engaging both local and international audiences, it aims to deepen appreciation for Bhutan’s rich heritage. The Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre is scheduled to open to the public in 2025.