The Bhagalpur Museum, located near the town centre, holds a modest but worthwhile collection of archaeological finds from the region's long history. Bihar has been continuously inhabited since at least the Neolithic period, and the museum holds terracottas, stone sculptures, and coins spanning from the Mauryan through the Pala periods.
The museum's strongest holdings relate to the Pala dynasty (8th–12th centuries), which had its centre in eastern Bihar and Bengal and produced some of the most sophisticated Buddhist sculpture in South Asian history. The stone Buddhas and Bodhisattvas here give a sense of the artistic tradition that was also at the heart of Vikramshila Mahavihara, the great Buddhist university that once stood outside town. Opening hours vary; check locally before visiting.