In and around Thimphu are various museums and places of interest which you can visit during your stay. Your guide will discuss these with you and you can select which you would like to visit based on your available time and your own personal interests.

Thimphu Dzong (Trashichhodzong) is a beautiful medieval fortress/monastery located just outside the city and houses most of the Government offices and the King's Throne room. It is also the summer residence of Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot. This Dzong was rebuilt in 1902 following earthquake damage in 1897 to the modified original.

The National Memorial Chorten is a Tibetan style stupa standing in the city centre, built in memorial of the third king. It is a popular place and many local people visit every day to pray and meditate, with large crowds on particularly auspicious days. Like all stupas and Buddhist temples, please remember to walk around in a clockwise direction.

Thimphu’s weekend market runs from Friday evenings until Sunday afternoons and is well worth adjusting your itinerary to visit. On one side of the river the food market is packed with hundreds of stalls selling numerous intriguing fruits, vegetables and spices, many of which are unfamiliar to the western eye. Across a striking bridge covered in prayer flags is the handicraft and fabric section which will demand significant self control for any souvenir shoppers.

The National Institute of Traditional Medicine has a small museum featuring a wide range of traditional herbal medicine ingredients. Unfortunately it doesn't feature good explanations or labels in English. Of more interest to some, will be the opportunity for a consultation, which can be arranged through your guide.

A traditional hand-made paper factory shows how paper is still made by ancient methods today, with an attached shop selling attractive and interesting souvenirs.

The Textile Museum has displays of local weaving and normally some weavers you can watch at work

The School of Arts & Crafts is a traditional arts and handicrafts training college for young people. Visitors can wander in and out of different class rooms with students practising sculpture, weaving, painting thankas and wood carving. There is an opportunity to purchase gifts in an attached store.

The Folk Heritage Museum is a traditional house which one can walk through to see how larger rural and more wealthy Bhutanese households were organised historically, (and indeed as many are today) with animal stalls at ground level, and living and sleeping rooms on higher floors.