Palace galleries
Walk through the restored rooms of both wings, with portraits and furnishings of the Nawab family.
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Ahsan Manzil Museum
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One of 25 Things to Do in Dhaka
In short
Ahsan Manzil, the pink palace of the Nawabs of Dhaka, faces the Buriganga River in Old Dhaka and now serves as a museum of the family's rooms and portraits. Foreign visitors pay BDT 500, in cash or online. Winter hours run 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with Friday opening only from 3 PM and Thursdays closed. One to two hours is enough.
Ahsan Manzil, known as the Pink Palace, is the former palace of the Nawabs of Dhaka at Kumartoli in Old Dhaka, on the bank of the Buriganga River near Sadarghat. Built between 1859 and 1872, it has been a museum run by the Bangladesh National Museum since 1992. It suits travellers interested in colonial-era Bengal, architecture and a first walk through Old Dhaka.
From a Mughal-era Rang Mahal to the Nawab's palace
In the Mughal period the site is said to have held the Rang Mahal of a zamindar named Sheikh Enayetullah, and the French later bought the property as a trading centre. Khwaja Alimullah, a wealthy landowner, bought it in 1830. His son Nawab Khwaja Abdul Ghani built the present palace and named it after his own son, Khwaja Ahsanullah.
For decades it was the home and office of the Nawab family, the most powerful landowners in eastern Bengal. A tornado on 7 April 1888 wrecked large parts of it. Nawab Ahsanullah rebuilt the inner house, the Andar Mahal, and the dome that marks the palace today was added in the same period. An earthquake on 12 June 1897 caused more damage. Political meetings held here under Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah have led historians to call the palace the cradle of the All India Muslim League. After the state took over the Dhaka Nawab estate in 1952 the building decayed, until the government acquired it in 1985, restored it and opened it as a museum on 20 September 1992.
An Indo-Saracenic palace under a 27-metre dome
The main building is a two-storey Indo-Saracenic palace about 125 metres long and 29 metres deep, raised on a platform with a broad staircase rising from the river side to a wide portico. Its central dome stands about 27 metres high and for many years was one of the highest points on the Dhaka skyline.
Two symmetrical halves flank the dome. The eastern half holds the drawing room, state room, library and card room; the western half holds the ballroom (jalsaghar), dining hall, music room and family quarters. Many galleries recreate rooms with furniture, chandeliers, mirrors and portraits based on old photographs, and others display weapons, household objects and documents of the Nawab family.
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Key information
🏛️Type: Former palace of the Nawabs of Dhaka, now a museum (the "Pink Palace")
📍Location: Kumartoli, Islampur, on the Buriganga River, Old Dhaka
⛏️Built: 1859–1872 for the Khwaja (Nawab) family
🕌Style: Indo-Saracenic Revival with a central dome about 27 m high
💰Currency: Bangladeshi taka (৳ BDT)
🕕Time Zone: Bangladesh Standard Time (UTC+6)
🏛Managed by: Bangladesh National Museum (since 1992)
Explore the area
Sadarghat river terminal 1 km
Star Mosque (Tara Masjid) 1.5 km
Shankhari Bazar 1.2 km
Lalbagh Fort 3 km
Armenian Church 1.5 km
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Plan your visit to Ahsan Manzil Museum
Dates, opening hours and how to get there are below. Booking ahead secures your preferred day.
Highlights Include:
Rangmahal (east wing)
- Drawing room and state room
- Library and card room
- Great central dome
Andarmahal (west wing)
- Ballroom
- Dining hall and music room
- Family quarters
Outside
- Grand staircase facing the river
- Pink façade on the Buriganga
- Gardens around the palace
What They Offer
Galleries
Furniture, portraits, photographs and objects of the Nawab family
Tickets
Counter on site; online tickets on the official portal
River views
Riverside front on the Buriganga
Visit duration
1–2 hours
Timed entry required No
River front
View the pink façade from the riverside, or from a boat on the Buriganga.
Old Dhaka walk
Combine with Sadarghat, the Star Mosque and Shankhari Bazar on a day in Old Dhaka.
Accessibility
The palace stands on a raised platform with a grand staircase; interior access involves steps. No published accessibility facilities.
Age limits
None.
What to pack
Cash in small taka notes, water, passport for the foreign-visitor rate
What to wear
Modest clothing
Not allowed
Touching the works, food and drink in the galleries, flash photography, large bags, selfie sticks
Amenities
Ticket counter, restrooms, gardens; food stalls in the surrounding streets.
Tips for visiting Ahsan Manzil Museum
- Check the museum's opening days before going, as hours change by season and in Ramadan.
- Go early in the day to avoid crowds and Old Dhaka traffic.
- Carry small taka notes for tickets and rickshaws.
- Photography may be restricted inside the galleries; ask staff first.
- Combine the visit with a boat ride on the Buriganga at Sadarghat.
Driving
Old Dhaka traffic is heavy; allow 45–90 minutes from Gulshan. Parking is very limited: use a ride-hail or rickshaw for the last stretch.
Public transportation
Rickshaw or CNG from Sadarghat or Gulistan; Dhaka Metro to Motijheel, then a rickshaw. River boats arrive at Sadarghat nearby.
Address
Ahsan Manzil stands on the bank of the Buriganga River at Kumartoli, Islampur, in Old Dhaka. Sadarghat is about 1 km away, Shankhari Bazar 1.2 km, the Star Mosque and Armenian Church about 1.5 km, and Lalbagh Fort 3 km.
Opening Hours
- Monday09:30-16:30
- Tuesday09:30-16:30
- Wednesday09:30-16:30
- ThursdayClosed
- Friday15:00-19:30
- Saturday09:30-16:30
- Sunday09:30-16:30
- Summer, Saturday – Wednesday10:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Winter, Saturday – Wednesday9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Friday3:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- Ramadan, Saturday – Wednesday9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Last entry: About 30 minutes before closing
Closed on Thursdays and public holidays; closed on Eid day and the day before.
Winter hours shown (October – March). Summer (April – September): Saturday – Wednesday 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM. Ramadan hours are shorter (9:30 AM – 3 PM).
Special events
No regular events on record.
Best times to visit
Opening time on weekdays.
Best days to visit
Sunday to Wednesday; Fridays and Saturdays are crowded.
Best months to visit
November to February.
Admission tickets
Prices and how to get tickets.
Ahsan Manzil: Entry Ticket
Bangladesh National Museum ticket for the Pink Palace museum.
- Entry to the Ahsan Manzil palace museum
Ticket prices
Foreign visitors BDT 500, SAARC visitors BDT 300; lower rates for Bangladeshi visitors and children. Pay cash at the counter or online at ahsanmanzilticket.gov.bd
Opening hours
Closed now · 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM · Last entry About 30 minutes before closing
Visitor policy
Cancellation and prepayment
Tickets are generally non-refundable; check the museum's booking terms.
Children and admission
Reduced rates for children; children must stay with adults.
Groups
Groups must book in advance with the museum.
Pets
Only assistance dogs are admitted.
Photography
Photography is generally not allowed inside the galleries; exterior photos are fine.
Bags
Large bags and suitcases must be left in the cloakroom or are refused; bags are checked at the entrance.
Smoking
Not permitted inside the museum.
Accepted payment
Cash at the counter; online tickets via the official portal. Cash at the gate
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Travelers are asking
On Thursdays and public holidays, and on Eid day and the day before. Fridays open only in the afternoon.
BDT 500 for foreign visitors and BDT 300 for SAARC nationals, according to recent guides.
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Stay in Dhaka
Where to stay near Ahsan Manzil Museum
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answers based on published visitor information for Ahsan Manzil.
Booking
A 2025 guide by a Dhaka tour operator listed about 500 taka, roughly USD 4, for foreign visitors, 300 taka for SAARC nationals and 50 taka for Bangladeshi adults. Prices are set by the Bangladesh National Museum and can change, so confirm at the ticket counter.
Yes. Tickets are sold on the official portal, ahsanmanzilticket.gov.bd, as well as in cash at the counter by the gate.
Timing & weather
The present palace was built between 1859 and 1872 for the Khwaja family, who became the Nawabs of Dhaka. It was heavily damaged by a tornado in 1888 and rebuilt, then restored by the government and opened as a museum after 1992.
From October to March it opens Saturday to Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm, and from April to September 10:30am to 5:30pm. Fridays open 3pm to 7:30pm. It is closed on Thursdays and public holidays.
Most visitors spend one to two hours in the galleries and gardens.
The best months to visit Ahsan Manzil Museum are November to February. The best days and times of day are covered under When to visit on this page.
General
Ahsan Manzil is painted a distinctive pink, which has led visitors and guides to call it the Pink Palace. The colour stands out against the river and the dense streets of Old Dhaka.
The museum's galleries cover the drawing room, ballroom, dining hall, library and state room, furnished with items linked to the Nawab family. Portraits, photographs and documents explain the history of the family and of Dhaka.
No. Photography is not allowed inside the galleries. You can photograph the façade, the staircase and the gardens.
Sadarghat river terminal is about 1 km away, Shankhari Bazar 1.2 km, the Star Mosque and Armenian Church about 1.5 km and Lalbagh Fort 3 km.
The central dome rises about 27 metres above the ground. For many years it was one of the highest points on the Dhaka skyline.
Ahsan Manzil Museum is in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The street address and directions are under How to get there on this page.
Modest clothing.
Getting there
The palace is in Old Dhaka on the Buriganga River near Sadarghat. Traffic is heavy, so many visitors take a rickshaw or CNG auto rickshaw from Gulistan or Sadarghat for the final stretch.
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) is the airport for Ahsan Manzil Museum, about 16 km away in a straight line.