‘A new gold standard’: Anand Mahindra reacts as Bihar Museum ranks 9th among the world’s best museums

A museum in Patna has earned international recognition, placing Bihar on the global cultural map. The Bihar Museum has secured ninth rank on the list of world's 100 best museums in 2026. Published by travel guide Worth a Journey, it is the only museum from India to make it to the list. It also beat the renowned Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to be in top five. Further, it is the only Asian museum in the top 10 list. The achievement has drawn praise from industrialist Anand Mahindra.

Taking to X, Anand Mahindra shared that he believes this recognition will transform musuem experience in India. He credited the vision behind the institution, highlighting how government support, committed administrators and creative collaboration helped bring the ambitious project to life.

Bihar Tourism announced the achievement in a post on X, describing the Bihar Museum as a place where visitors can explore the region’s rich past through historical artefacts, sculptures, coins, manuscripts and folk art.


The ranking appears in The World’s 100 Best Museums 2026, a list published by international travel magazine Worth a Journey.

Anand Mahindra calls it a ‘game changer’

Reacting to the news, Mahindra described the recognition as a “seminal moment” and said the museum’s position was “simply staggering”.

He believes the achievement could raise expectations for museums across the country, including those yet to be built. Calling it “a new gold standard”, Mahindra said Indian visitors deserved museum experiences comparable to those they seek when travelling abroad.

He also praised the people and institutions responsible for the museum. Mahindra credited former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for conceiving and championing the project, while acknowledging the sustained efforts of the Bihar government and committed administrators in bringing it to life.

Describing the institution as an example of “vision, administrative determination and world-class creative collaboration”, Mahindra applauded everyone involved in making the museum a reality.

Could this spark a museum renaissance in India?

Mahindra said the biggest beneficiaries of the achievement would be the Indian public. He hopes the recognition encourages museums across India to improve their visitor experiences and sets a higher benchmark for future projects.

He expressed hope that the Bihar Museum’s success would mark the beginning of a “museum renaissance in India”, with the institution’s global recognition encouraging greater ambition in the country’s cultural spaces.