 The building has collection of bronze sculptures, paubha paintings and weapons including the sword gifted by military leader of France Napoleon Bonaparte.The museum then known as "Chhauni Silkhana", literally meaning "arsenal museum", was originally used to display firearms and weapons used in the war history of Nepal.It was opened to the public in February 1939 by the Prime Minister of Nepal Juddha Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana.