Don Bosco Museum, Shillong
A seven-level museum in Mawlai with 17 themed galleries on the tribal cultures of north-east India and a skywalk terrace above the city.
Overview
The Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures is the most thorough introduction to the tribes of north-east India in Shillong. This guide covers its galleries, skywalk, timings and the entry fees you should confirm.
The Don Bosco Museum is part of the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures in Mawlai Phudmuri, in the Sacred Heart Church complex on the northern side of Shillong. Meghalaya Tourism describes it as a seven-level museum with 17 themed galleries on the lives, beliefs and crafts of the tribes of north-east India, with further displays on neighbouring countries such as Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal. A skywalk terrace at the top looks over Shillong and the surrounding hills.
Plan on two to three hours if you read the galleries; the building has many floors and no quick route through it. It is roughly 3.5 km from Police Bazar by road. The museum is closed on Sundays and keeps shorter hours in winter. Ticket prices are the one thing to check before you go: the Museums of India portal lists Rs 50 for Indian adults and Rs 150 for foreign adults, while other pages show higher figures, and the museum's own admissions page could not be loaded.
Entry fees
Entry
Adult (Indian)
Indian adults per Museums of India portal; conflicting higher figure (Rs 100) seen in a search snippet
Source: Museums of India – Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures
Amount needs verification
Adult (foreign national)
Foreign adults per Museums of India portal; conflicting higher figure (Rs 200) seen in a search snippet
Source: Museums of India – Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures
Amount needs verification
Student
Indian students per Museums of India portal
Source: Museums of India – Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures
Amount needs verification
Photography
All visitors
Photography fee per Museums of India portal; unit not stated
Source: Museums of India – Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures
Amount needs verification
Fees come from the Museums of India portal and conflict with figures seen elsewhere (Rs 100 / Rs 200 for adults). The museum's own admissions page could not be loaded. Treat all amounts as unconfirmed.
We only show an amount when a source backs it. Prices change, so confirm locally before you go.
Opening hours
- Mon – Sat
- 9 AM – 5:30 PM
- Sun
- Closed
- Summer hours; winter closing 16:30
- Closed
Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am-5:30 pm (1 Feb-30 Nov); closes 4:30 pm in winter (1 Dec-31 Jan); closed Sundays.
Winter (1 December-31 January) closing is 4:30 pm. Also closed on public holidays per Museums of India; confirm before travelling.
Visitor information
- Best time to visit
- March to June for clear skies from the skywalk (Meghalaya Tourism); any dry day for the galleries.
- Best time of day
- Morning, so the terrace views are clear before cloud builds
- How long to spend
- 2–3 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Families
- Suitable for families
Good to know
- Closed on Sundays and some public holidays
- Photography is charged separately according to the Museums of India listing
Location
Mawlai Phudmuri, Sacred Heart Church complex, Shillong, Meghalaya 793008
Shillong, Meghalaya, India
25.59298, 91.88253
Get directionsPhotos
The Don Bosco Museum building, part of DBCIC in Mawlai. Photo: Chinnu24 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 Shillong seen from the museum's upper levels. Photo: Arindambasu2 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Frequently asked questions
What are the Don Bosco Museum timings?
Meghalaya Tourism lists 9:00 am to 5:30 pm from 1 February to 30 November and 9:00 am to 4:30 pm from 1 December to 31 January. The museum is closed on Sundays.
How much is the Don Bosco Museum ticket?
The Museums of India portal lists Rs 50 for Indian adults and Rs 150 for foreign adults, but other pages show higher prices and the museum's own page could not be loaded, so confirm at the counter.
How long does the Don Bosco Museum take?
Allow two to three hours for the 17 galleries and the skywalk.
Information sources
Where the facts on this page come from, and what still needs confirming.
Information last checked 7 October 2026
Not yet confirmed
- All fee amounts (sources conflict)
- Winter closing time details
Not available yet
- Museum's own fee page (dbcic.org page returned 404)
- official website URL (the domain fetched unrelated content)
- more photos
- Meghalaya Tourism – Don Bosco Museum · Tourism board
- Museums of India – Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures · Government
- OpenStreetMap (Nominatim search) · Map
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