The museum has a rich history, initially serving as an Arsenal house constructed in 1824 by Prime Minister General Bhimsen Thapa.

In 1926, Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher added two wings to the north and south of the main building and renamed it Silkhana Museum.

In response to this need, Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher established the Judhha Jatiya Kala Bhavan in front of the Nepal Museum in 1943 A.D.

The museum also has an auditorium having a sitting capacity of 142 participants with a comfortable chair with a podium facilitated, a good audiovisual and lighting system.

Intricate motifs, carved on teak, sal or rose wood, on mountable window frames give a sense of refinement in woodcarving.

Therefore, ritualistic objects like phurpa (magical dart used especially for the ritual slaying of human effigy of foes) and dorje (represents thunder bolt) are found in this section.

Appealing images of Manjushri (the deity of wisdom), yantra of the 19th century (showing chakras of the body), Dipankara Buddha are other important parts of the Buddhist collection.

Pelt, horn or endo-skeletons of tiger, leopard, red panda, flying squirrel, rhinoceros, whale, colourful plumage of birds may be cited.

The Numismatic section preserves rare copper, silver and gold coins from the Licchavi era (fifth to seventh century) until modern times.