By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Sept. 23: The number of people visiting the three durbar square museums of the Kathmandu Valley has started increasing. They were recently opened after remaining closed for four and a half months.
The visitors are also gradually increasing at the Narayanhiti Palace Museum after the government lifted the restriction order imposed to control COVID-19.

Domestic tourists have started visiting the museums after the areas have been reopened for visitors. The Durbar Square was completely closed from the third week of March due to coronavirus pandemic.    
Now, 100 visitors visit the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square on a daily basis. But the number of foreign tourists visiting the area is negligible.

Sandeep Khanal, chief of Hanumandhoka Durbar Square Development Committee, said that the number of people visiting the area is increasing day by day.   
The Hanumandhoka Museum has reopened from September 5 for the general public. The Office has fixed ticket fee at Rs. 150 for foreign visitors from SAARC countries and Rs. 30 to Nepali citizens. 
Kathmandu Metropolitan City charges Rs. 1,000 to each foreign visitor from the third countries.  

Reconstruction of cultural heritages damaged by the Gorkha earthquake is being carried out at the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square area. Architectures of Rana and Malla periods are the main attractions here.  
Similarly, 200 visitors visit the Patan Durbar Square a day on average with the reopening of the museum from September 8.

Suresh Lakhe, acting museum director of Patan Museum, said that the visitors had shifted from Kathmandu with the beginning of the Indra Jatra recently. Now only one or two foreign tourists are seen visiting the Patan Durbar Square and we hope their number will increase after a week, he said.

In case of National Art Museum of Bhaktapur, on average 50 to 60 visitors visit the museum with the reopening of the museum from September 5.
The museum has fixed Rs. 25 for each domestic visitor and Rs. 10 for student, Rs. 50 for the visitors from SAARC countries, Rs. 50 camera charge and Rs. 150 for the tourists from the countries beyond SAARC nations.
The Bhaktpaur Sub-Metropolitan City has fixed Rs. 1,000 fee to enter the Bhaktapur Durbar Square.

Number of domestic visitors at the Narayanhiti Palace Museum is slightly higher than in other three museums of Durbar Squares.
With the opening of museums for public, around 300 visitors are visiting them every day and the visitors’ number has also increased on Saturdays, said Vesh Narayan Dahal museum chief of Narayanhiti Palace Museum.
The museum has fixed Rs. 200 as entry fee for domestic tourists.