Museums of Meghalaya exhibit the two most appealing characteristic of this beautiful state located in the North-Eastern part of India. Situated in the lap of eastern Himalayas, the breathtaking beauty of nature with all its constituents have given their best to make it a calm and peaceful tourist destination. The exquisite culture of the two most significant tribal groups of Meghalaya; the Garos and the Khasis have witnessed the passage of time and kept them unchanged for long. The Museums of Meghalaya have preserved a variety of objects of ritualistic and artistic significance to the lives of the Garos and Khasis. For those having interest in history and natural science, there are various museums in Meghalaya possessing items of history and natural science.

Some of the museums in Meghalaya are known for their collection of artifacts that are significantly related to the life of the tribal groups of the Khasis and Garos. They attract scholars and general tourists alike and display the daily use objects of the tribal life, like baskets and tobacco boxes. They also put on display jewelleries, masks, totems and other objects of importance to the tribals. The delicately woven garments and shawls are some of the other attractions. Two of the museums of Meghalaya having ethnic interest are the Meghalaya Tribal Research Institute and the State Museum of Meghalaya.

The Meghalaya tribal research institute possesses a large number of indigenous items used by various tribes. The objects on display in this museum which attracts tourists from India and other parts of the world are a range of textiles of diverse colors. The chief textile products exhibited in this museum include a large variety of shawls and garments used by the local people. There are several images prepared with the help of wood or animal bones, totems and masks. The Tribal Research Institute is located at Mawlai and the place is often visited by people from different parts of the country and also from outside. The entry to this museum is free and taking photographs of the different tribal items on display is permitted.

The State Museum of Meghalaya is another important museum in Meghalaya, established in the year, 1975. This museum is regarded as the storehouse of great cultural heritage of India. Some of the major activities of this museum include exhibition, publication, acquisition, conservation and education. Presently the name of this museum is Williamson Sangma Museum. The museum has also opened in Taru, a different district museum in the year 1989. The items on display in the state museum of Meghalaya include a variety of daily use objects of a race or a clan, musical instruments, handicrafts, art pieces, objects used in rituals, industry memoirs, weapons used during important wars jewelry and traditional costumes. The museum still continues to collect rare articles, models and antiques, which are of enormous cultural or historical value. This museum contains some galleries which display a number of archaic articles like Indian musical instruments, specimens of a large number of Indian forms of crafts and art and common traditional tools, depicting the affluent cultural ancestry of India.

A few of the most vital contents preserved in this museum which attract tourists from India and other parts of the world are models of the pillars made by Ashoka. The models are carried from National Museum, New Delhi. Another striking item is the dinosaur replica which attracts a large number of people.

The Butterfly museum and the Botanical garden and museum are the two important museums of Meghalaya which present the wonderful natural assets of Meghalaya.

The Meghalaya Butterfly Museum is placed at about 1 kilometer from Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya. This museum contains a wide range of butterflies generally belonging to the north-eastern parts of India, i.e. Meghalaya. The butterfly museum was founded with the aim of conserving several rare species of attractive and multicolored butterflies. Apart from the collection of various species of butterflies, a large number of beetles can also be seen in this museum which belongs to India and also different parts of the World.

The administration of the museum has undertaken the project of the commercial use of different species of butterflies and this has ensured the conservation of its species, since use of butterflies for commercial purpose requires a large scale breeding process. About 1600 forms of butterflies are exhibited at this museum. A trip to Shillong will also include a visit to the Meghalaya Butterfly Museum. The nearest airport to this museum is at Borjhar in Guwahati and Shillong is at a distance of 129 kilometers from Guwahati.

Another major museum of Meghalaya is the Meghalaya Botanical garden and museum. It is situated 2 kilometers away from Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya. The site of the museum is secluded and it is placed exactly below the Ward`s Lake. This lake is just 1 kilometer away from the Lady Hydari Park. This museum is constructed similar to that of a Japanese garden. A collection of different species of plant kingdom is there in the Botanical Garden and Museum of Meghalaya. Among the large variety of plants available in this museum, most of them belong to Meghalaya. Several orchids on display in this museum are very rarely available in Meghalaya. One of the most valuable wealth of this museum is a range of Pines called Pinus khasiana, initially belonging to this region.

In order to visit the Meghalaya Botanical Garden and Museum, it is required to reach Shillong. The nearest airport to this museum is at Borjhar in Guwahati. The airport is 129 kilometers away from Shillong. The Umroi airport is located just kilometers away from Shillong.

Arunachal Pradesh Museum is another major museum in the list of significant museums of Meghalaya. Situated at a distance of about 3.5 kilometers from Shillong, it puts on display some of the delicate Arunachal Pradesh items. Some of the other museums in Meghalaya are the Bishnu museum at Shillong, Zonal Anthropological Museum at Shillong, etc.

Meghalaya is one of the most beautiful north-eastern states of India. Its position on the Himalayan ranges also makes it one of the major tourist attractions. Apart from the scenic beauty of this state, there are several museums in Meghalaya which has preserved the rich culture and tradition of the state.