The Archeological Museum of Sarnath, approx 10 km away from Varanasi lays the oldest site museum of the Archeological survey of India. Located right next to the excavated site, this museum has over five galleries and sculptures, artifacts dated from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD.

The central hall is as main chapel, galleries as monastic cells and verandah occurring as in front of cells in a monastery. The whole building is made of sandstone with flat roof. Right across the main hall is Shakyasimha gallery. The most important artifact is the famous Lion Capital of Ashoka and a sculpture of Buddha from 5 th century. Some artifacts and sculptures from Mauryan, Kushana and the Gupta periods. The sites like the Tree where Buddha attained nirvana, the first sermon to his 5 disciplines are all fascinating event to a non-Buddhist.