Choijin Lama Temple Museum

Built between 1904 and 1908 for Luvsanhaidav, the state oracle and brother of the Bogd Khan, this complex of five temples closed as a religious site in 1938 and was preserved as a museum rather than destroyed, which is why it survives at all. It now sits incongruously in a hollow surrounded by glass office towers in the centre of Ulaanbaatar. Inside are some of the finest religious objects in the country: tsam dance masks, papier-mâché and appliqué figures, thangkas, and sculptures by Zanabazar including works of the first rank in Mongolian Buddhist art. The main temple holds the oracle's throne and images of protective deities, some of them fierce and explicit in ways that surprise visitors. The contrast between the wooden temple roofs and the towers behind is the image most people photograph.

What you actually see

• Tsam masks - the ceremonial dance masks in their display halls.
• Zanabazar sculpture - bronzes by Mongolia's greatest artist.
• The oracle's temple - the throne and protective deity images.
• The city contrast - temple roofs framed by downtown towers.

When to go

Year-round; the museum keeps regular hours and can close a day a week. Winter visits are cold in the unheated halls. Mornings are quiet. It is central and easy to combine with the national museums.

Honest expectations

Buildings are unheated and cold in winter. Photography is charged separately. Some imagery in the protective deity halls is graphic and may unsettle visitors, including children. The complex is small and takes an hour or two.

Nearby

Sukhbaatar square and the national museums are a short walk north.