The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is one of the most important repositories of Tibetan Buddhist scholarship outside Tibet itself. Founded in 1958, it holds an extraordinary collection of thangkas, religious artifacts, rare manuscripts, and ritual objects gathered from monasteries across Sikkim and beyond. The museum on the ground floor makes these accessible to general visitors with well-labelled displays on Tibetan religion, medicine, and iconography.
The building itself is worth seeing — it is designed in traditional Tibetan architectural style, with a gilded roof and richly painted interiors. The institute is set in gardens about two kilometres south of the town centre, and the walk down provides good views over the valley.