Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division

24/03/2026

Safe Water Project: Installation of Sky Hydrant Water Filters

Following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 25 December 2025 between Disaster Aid Australia, the Rotary Club of Thimphu, and the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, the Safe Water Project is now being implemented in monastic institutions.

As part of this initiative, Sky Hydrant Water Filter systems have been successfully installed at Dechenphu Lhakhang and Dechenphodrang Lobdra, providing reliable access to safe drinking water for more than 300 monks, as well as visitors and devotees who come for prayer and worship daily.

The Department would like to express its sincere appreciation to the Rotary Club of Thimphu and Disaster Aid Australia for their generous support and partnership in promoting safe and sustainable water solutions.

The initiative will continue with the installation of the same system at Sangchen Choekhor Monastery which will benefits 280 monks, and similar support is expected to benefit more monastic institutions in the future.

11/03/2026

The Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development is pleased to announce the “5th Training course on Conservation of Heritage Buildings” from 27th April to 27th May 2026.

This specialized training program aims to strengthen professional capacity in the conservation and preservation of Bhutan's traditional and heritage buildings. Interested private technical professionals (architects and engineers) are requested to apply for the training program.

The application must be submitted to the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, Kawangjangsa, Thimphu on or before 10th April 2026. For more details, please visit:
https://sites.google.com/moha.gov.bt/e-learning-platform

For further information regarding the course, please contact:
Mrs. Sangay Choden (Course Coordinator),
e-mail: [email protected]
Contact Number: 77887915

04/03/2026

The Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division is pleased to welcome two new members to the team.

Mr. Sangay Wangchuk has joined the Division as a Conservation Engineer and Ms. Sangay Choden, who previously served the Division as a contract employee, has rejoined the office as Conservation Architect following her successful selection through the RCSC.

We congratulate them on their achievement and look forward to their continued service and contributions towards the conservation and promotion of Bhutan’s cultural heritage.

27/02/2026

We are profoundly honoured by the gracious visit of Her Majesty Gyalyum Tshering Yangdoen Wangchuck during the recent volunteer service in Gelephu. Her Majesty met with the Ministry team at the volunteer site, offering words of encouragement and appreciation that greatly inspired all officials present.

Her Majesty also visited the Sarpang Dzong Construction project and met with the Project Management Team and conveyed appreciation for the progress and dedication. The project remains one of the key initiatives undertaken by the Department.

25/02/2026

The Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division (HSAD) under the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development is deeply honored to have participated in the 5th GMC Volunteer Service at Gelephu.

Officials from the Division joined fellow participants from across the country in rendering voluntary service in support of the visionary GMC initiative. Our team was engaged in clearing bushes at the proposed site for the Guru Nangsi Zilnon Project, one of the spiritual project under GMC, as well as clearing and improving sections of the trail leading to Lha Wangchuk Ney.

We also like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Project Team of the Sarpang Dzong Construction for efficiently managing the logistics and providing necessary support throughout the volunteer service.

We remain committed to contributing to nation-building initiatives that integrate cultural heritage, and community service for the benefit of present and future generations.

20/02/2026

On the Joyous Occasion of His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo’s Birth Anniversary, Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division,Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development joins the nation in offering our sincere felicitations and prayers for His Majesty’s good health, long life and everlasting happiness.

17/02/2026

The Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division wishes everyone a year filled with merit and prosperity.

Losar Tashi Delek!

05/02/2026

On the auspicious occasion of the 10th Birth Anniversary of His Royal Highness Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, the Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division humbly extends its warmest wishes and heartfelt homage.

May His Royal Highness continue to be blessed with good health, wisdom, and long life, and may he grow to uphold the noble values, unity, and enduring legacy of the Wangchuck Dynasty for the benefit of the Tsa-Wa-Sum.

28/01/2026

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Silpakorn University, Thailand, and the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, Ministry of Home Affairs was formally executed on 27 January 2026 at the Faculty of Architecture Gallery, Silpakorn University (Thapra Campus), Bangkok.

The MoU establishes a framework for academic, research, and technical collaboration between the two institutions. As part of the initial initiatives, both Parties agreed to develop a short training programme for architects and archaeologists from the Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division, focusing on the application of 3D laser scanning and UAV technologies for architectural heritage documentation. The programme is scheduled to be conducted in Thailand.

In addition, the collaboration includes a joint research initiative involving advanced-technology surveys at Tashichho Dzong, Thimphu, one of Bhutan’s most important religious and historical monuments. The partnership aims to strengthen professional capacity, promote knowledge exchange, and further reinforce the long-standing friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and Thailand, as well as between the two partnering institutions.

28/01/2026

26/01/2026

23/01/2026

Formal Exchange of MoU for Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project, Phase V

The Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development (DCDD), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan, and the Swiss Liechtenstein Foundation of Archaeological Research Abroad (SLSA) have formally exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of Phase V of the Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project for three years.

This collaborative project aims to strengthen the inventory, documentation, research, and mapping of Bhutan’s diverse archaeological sites through the integration of modern archaeological methodologies. The partnership will also focus on capacity building of human resources, the establishment of a scientific archaeological laboratory, and conducting rescue excavations when urgent and necessary.

We are pleased to acknowledge the contributions of international experts supporting this initiative. Mr. Christian Bader from Switzerland, has been closely associated with archaeological work in Bhutan since 2011, contributing to excavations, archaeological documentation, and topographic mapping. He has also played a key role in capacity-building initiatives, beginning with excavation training at Sangkha, Sarpang. His long-standing involvement continues to support archaeological research in the country.

We also welcome Dr. Julia Schönicke, who is currently engaged in teaching and research at the University of Zurich and serves as Field Director for Geoarchaeology with the German Archaeological Institute. This marks her first visit to Bhutan, and we look forward to working closely with her in the years ahead, benefiting from her extensive international experience in collaborative archaeological projects across Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey, and Turkmenistan.

Effective from November 2025, this MoU formalizes the shared responsibilities of both parties and underscores their commitment to safeguarding Bhutan’s archaeological heritage through sustained international cooperation, research, and knowledge exchange.