Loading...The Sonargaon Folk and Crafts Museum is located in Sonargaon Upazila of Narayanganj, approximately 24 kilometers from Dhaka. On March 12, 1975, legendary artist Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin founded the Bangladesh Folk Art and Crafts Foundation in a historic house in Panam Nagar to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of rural Bengal. Later in 1981, the museum was expanded to a 150-bigha open-air complex that reflects the rural essence of Bengali artistry, and was relocated to the nearly 100-year-old Sardar Bari (Sardar’s Mansion).
Within the foundation premises lies the Folk and Crafts Museum, which showcases traditional handmade items by rural artisans—many of whom were illiterate yet skilled. These items reflect the traditional folk art of ancient Bengal, once overlooked by mainstream recognition.
Sardar Bari houses 10 galleries, exhibiting wood carvings, folk crafts, scroll paintings and masks, tribal life artifacts, rural environments, traditional musical instruments, terracotta pieces, copper and brass works, iron artifacts, and folk ornaments. Just east of this building stands the Zainul Abedin Memorial Museum, a modern structure rich in folk architectural design, which contains two galleries. One gallery—made of wood—exhibits ancient to contemporary examples of craftsmanship, from natural wood to processed handicrafts, complete with detailed model demonstrations of the production and sales processes.
Outside these two buildings are a library, documentation center, seminar hall, canteen, craft stage, village garden, various trees, a scenic lake, and arrangements for boating and fishing. A distinctive “Pankhiraj” boat adds to the charm.
The Craft Village features traditional two-sloped and four-sloped huts inspired by indigenous styles. Here, artisans from underprivileged regions display and sell bamboo, cane, wood carving, pottery, jamdani, nakshi kantha, ektara, jute, conch, clay, and shell crafts, among others.
Each year in the Bengali month of Boishakh, a grand Folk Art Fair is held. This event includes performances of folk songs, Jatra, Kobi Gaan, and other cultural displays. Artisans and folk performers from across Bangladesh participate, selling handmade items like pottery, shola, bamboo, fabric goods, and more. There’s also a canteen for visitors, and boating and fishing (in winter, with tickets) are available at the lake in front of the museum.
Entry Fee: BDT 20 per person.
Closed Days: Every Wednesday and Thursday.
Location
Approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Dhaka and about 1 kilometer off the Dhaka–Chittagong Highway.
How to Get There
From Gulistan, take a Swadesh Paribahan bus and get off at Mograpara Crossroads (approximate fare: 40 BDT). Travel time may be one hour, but on weekdays plan for 2 to 2.5 hours. From the crossroads, take a shared auto-rickshaw to the museum for about 10 BDT. Alternatively, you can also go via the Chaity Garments alley.
Another route is to take a bus to Chittagong Road and then a CNG auto to the museum (maximum fare around 120 BDT). You can also take a rickshaw from Panam Nagar Bus Stand.
River Route (via Meghna): Take a launch to Baidyer Bazar Ghat in Sonargaon, then travel to the museum by rickshaw or CNG.
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