Bhagalpur's two main draws are its silk-weaving heritage and the Gangetic river dolphins. The Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary preserves one of the largest remaining populations of the endangered river dolphin in a stretch of the Ganges east of the city. The weavers of Nathnagar have been producing Tussar (wild silk) for centuries, and visiting the workshops is a genuine local experience.
The Bhagalpur Museum holds a useful collection of regional archaeological finds and sculptures. The most worthwhile day trip from the city is Vikramshila Mahavihara, ruins of a 9th-century Buddhist university about 50km east near Kahalgaon.