Choijin Lama Temple Museum
The Choijin Lama Temple in Outer Mongolia was built between 1904 and 1908 in honor of the Lama Lubsanhaidub, brother of the eighth Bogd Khan.[1] The Choijin Lama Museum was originally a Buddhist temple complex, consisting of one main and five branch temples.[2] It was active until 1937, when it was closed during the height of Communist repression against Buddhism and other religious traditions.[3]
As a museum, it preserves a rich heritage of Buddhist artifacts. Located in central Ulaanbaatar directly south of Sukhbaatar square, the museum is open year-round (with reduced hours during the winter months). Explanations of the almost overwhelming collection are not as detailed as they could be, but each temple has room attendants who can provide additional material. The museum itself and its objects also show the re-emergence of Buddhism in Mongolia after Communist repression, with a particularly interesting display on Buddhist tsam dancing and its modern revival.[4]