Springing into 2026!

Hello!

It’s been a while. But we’ve been keeping some secrets and it’s finally time to share them with you!

Roshan Mishra is the Director of Taragaon Next, as well as an artist and a curator

As a museum professional and curator at Taragaon Next, I have always been interested in exploring new ways to present art and ideas to the public. The concept of Object in Focus emerged from a moment of inspiration during my visit to the British Museum. I was particularly fascinated by Room 3, where a single historical object was carefully displayed.

It demonstrated how slowing down the viewing process could create a more meaningful engagement with history, material culture, and storytelling.

When I returned to Nepal, I began thinking about how a similar approach could be adapted within the context of Taragaon Next.

Unlike large museums with vast collections of historical artifacts, our institution did not have such objects. Instead of focusing on a historical artifact, why not focus on a contemporary object that carries a powerful artistic and conceptual message?

In 2018, I initiated Object in Focus, a small exhibition format built around a simple but strong curatorial idea: 1 Object, 1 Artist, and 1 Big Idea. As of March 17, 2026, we will have done the 9th edition of Object in Focus, featuring Badal by Sanjeep Maharjan, and I look forward to inviting you to more.

We also have a series of carefully curated exhibitions that continues to expand conversations around art, history, and cultural memory. The upcoming exhibition that I curated, ‘Forms of Abstraction’, highlights how abstraction engages with emotion, spirituality, landscape, and geometry.

Later in June, ‘Return, Resist, Reclaim: Repatriation and Iconoclasm in South Asia’, curated by Dr. Arshiya Lokhandwala, brings together critical perspectives on the ongoing struggles surrounding displaced heritage, iconoclasm, and the complex journeys of cultural objects across South Asia.

On April 2, 2014, we opened our doors to the public as ‘Taragaon Museum’. Now, on the 12th Anniversary of Taragaon Next, I invite you to join us for the opening of “Forms of Abstraction”.

Kripendra Amatya is the Arts and Program Manager at Taragaon Next

Taragaon serves as the home of a variety of contemporary arts, intended to connect with a wide range of people. We encourage collaboration so we can do new creative activities.

I want to create a vibrant hub where people come to watch movies and discuss the films. We have now developed a collaboration with the British Council and Alliance Francaise to host a film night on the last Friday of every English month.

We’re also collaborating with Shabrakiri, a literature platform, that hosts a poetry saajh on the first Saturday of every Nepali month. I personally think the most powerful factor of Shabdakiri is the dedication of their team which has continued growing and connecting people in bringing them closer to literature.

Squirrel and Foxes is the first program that changed Taragaon from just becoming an exhibiting space into more dynamic activities hoping to bring young folks, may it be music, dance, storytelling, or stand-up comedy. This event, that happens 3 times a year, makes Taragaon vibrant and energetic.

Human beings first learn how to draw by doodling as children. Children don’t plan too much and just draw/doodle. Hoping to create a space where people allow their inner child to be free, we now host Doodle at Taragaon monthly.

When I visited Srijana College of Fine Arts’ Project Panauti-2025 section; the entire work of the group of students of Project Panauti felt like it was directly linked with the working areas of Taragaon Next namely- culture, community, and urbanization.

After talking with the teacher of Srijana, we decided to ignite a collaboration between Srijana College of Fine Arts and Taragaon Next.

Even while planning the exhibition, alongside the talk program, video screening, the workshop felt like various elements Taragaon had been hosting. It was a project that I felt so strongly resonated with Taragaon.

Diki Sherpa is the HR and Administration Manager at Taragaon Next

Before working at Taragaon Next, I visited the area and learned from a friend about the Taragaon Museum near Boudhanath Stupa. I was surprised to find it within the Tara Hotel area, which I remembered from my childhood. The museum’s unique architecture and tranquil environment captivated me, making it a perfect place to relax. For me, the most exciting aspects of Taragaon are its atmosphere and the stunning architecture.

When I first started working here, the space had very few visitors and did not operate on a ticketing system.

At that time, TikTok was going viral in Nepal, and visitors started posting videos of the space, which significantly increased our visibility to those unfamiliar about us.

We decided to introduce a ticketing system, which helped generate revenue for the space. Additionally, we launched a permanent exhibition titled “Archiving for the Future.”

Prior to implementing the ticketing system, revenue was largely derived from external programs, photoshoots, and café rentals.

Thanks to TikTok, more people began visiting, leading to a substantial increase in revenue for the Taragaon Museum. Our visitor numbers have also stayed consistent, ranging between 40,000 - 80,000 per year in the 3 years I have worked here.

I have witnessed the transformation of our space from a museum into a more vibrant hub. We’ve shifted our focus beyond just art and culture to embrace community, culture, and urbanization.

Previously, we hosted a greater number of external events and exhibitions, totaling 15 to 20 annually, while internal events and exhibitions numbered between 5 and 7.

Because we are able to generate revenue, we host only 6 to 8 external events/exhibitions each year, but our internal programs have surged to 30 to 35 annually, including collaborations with various artists.

We have created our own programs to better support and provide more opportunities for artists and students interested in art, skills, culture, and history.

Dipesh Khanal is the Creative Learning Officer at Taragaon Next

In this era of the digital world, there’s no denying that, like adults, young kids are strongly attached to social media and e-gaming.

That’s where the Creative Learning Programs come into play where we encourage young learners to spend more time with art and nature around us, giving them an experiential learning experience.

In a span of two months from Jan 2026 to Feb 2026, a total of 332 students from 8 different schools participated in Taragaon’s Creative Learning Programs and this time around - specially to experience the guided tour of the exhibition, Metamorphosis. The exhibition displayed 20 different artworks created out of waste metals and plastic by artist Saurab Koirala.

Koirala talked about the importance of taking safety precautions specifically while working with waste metal as they are sharp and prone to injury – while wielding and connecting the metal parts together.

We provided examples of the ways students have themselves been practicing the concept of reusing where they are carrying bottles everyday to school instead of using non-reusable plastic bottles.

We also conducted activities relating to the exhibition where they were distributed tags with the names and the description of every creature written on them. The learners picked up the tags that best resonated with their own personality and shared interesting reasons as to why they chose the one they did.

‘I chose crab because it knows how to protect itself at times of danger. It also hides and comes out of its shell when it feels safe enough,’ shared one of the students who participated in the activity.

After the tour was over, we received some personalized thoughtful notes and presents from the students of one of the schools.

‘Thank you so much for the inspiring tours! We learned a lot and we would love to come back for another visit!’ wrote one of the students and another student wrote, ‘I am really happy I got visit this cool place I really like the visit as recycle animals, and art are my fav thing and you where really kind people.’

To be able to host this many students from different schools was truly inspiring not just for students but for me myself leading Creative Learning Programs at Taragaon. I cannot reiterate enough the significance of exposing students outside their school’s rigid curriculum and letting them truly explore.