Ever Living Museum in Shillong: One Man's Tribal Archive

Quick Facts About Ever Living Museum, Shillong

• Ever Living Museum location: Mawshbuit village, Shillong, Meghalaya
• Established in: 2015, by retired government engineer Kyntiewbor War
• Ever Living Museum distance from Shillong Bus Stand: Around 8–10 km, roughly 20–30 minutes by cab
• Attraction Type: Private ethnographic museum, three sections (main museum, stone museum, garden)
• Ever Living Museum ticket price: ₹50 (adults), ₹30 (college students), ₹20 (children)
• Time needed: 1–2 hours
• Best for: Tribal history, stone-age artefacts, orchid gardens, a quieter alternative to Shillong's bigger museums

What’s The Ever Living Museum History?

• Built and still personally run by its founder, Kyntiewbor War
• Grew out of a personal interest in preserving Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo heritage before it faded
• Divided into three distinct components as the collection expanded: the main museum, a separate stone museum, and a garden

What to Explore Inside the Ever Living Museum?

1. The Main Museum

• Ancient and contemporary weapons and armoury used by Meghalaya's tribesmen
• Traditional clothing, musical instruments, and cooking utensils
• Bamboo handicrafts and everyday household objects
• A coin collection mixing old Indian rupee notes with foreign currency
• A Garo shield-and-spear display near the entrance, among the museum's oldest pieces

2. The Stone Museum

• Around 30 types of stones collected from across Meghalaya
• Stone-age tools alongside sand-weathering rocks, granite, and flint, laid out more like a geologist's personal archive than a museum display

3. The Garden

• Nearly 100 varieties of orchids and wildflowers
• Around 25 varieties of ferns
• A quiet, well-maintained space to walk through before or after the exhibits

Ever Living Museum in Shillong Timings

• March–September: 11:00 AM–6:00 PM, daily
• October–February: 11:00 AM–5:00 PM, daily
• Closed on: Generally Monday and holidays like Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas

Ever Living Museum in Shillong Entry Fee

• Adults (Indian nationals): ₹50 per person, covers the main museum, stone museum, and garden
• College students (Indian nationals): ₹30 per person, valid student ID required at entry
• Children (Indian nationals): ₹20 per person
• Photography fee: ₹30 for mobile and ₹50 for DSLR
• Video Camera: ₹1000 for Documentary and ₹2000 for Movie

How to Reach the Ever Living Museum

• From Shillong Bus Stand: Roughly 8–10 km away, taking about 20–30 minutes by cab depending on traffic
• From Police Bazar (city centre): Approximately 8 km, also best covered by taxi in around 20–25 minutes
• Public transport: There's no direct bus or shared transport running to Mawshbuit, so a private cab or pre-booked taxi is the most dependable way in
• Getting back: Since it's outside the main city grid, ask your driver to wait or arrange a return cab in advance, especially if visiting later in the day when local transport options thin out

Best Time to Visit Ever Living Museum

• October to May for the clearest weather if you want to spend time in the orchid garden as well
• Morning visits (right after the 11 AM opening) tend to be quieter, useful if you want unhurried time with the founder or staff, who often share context on individual pieces
• Avoid Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas, the museum stays closed on these dates regardless of season

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Travel Tips for Visiting Ever Living Museum