The National Museum, considered to be the most important museum of Nepal, is located in the western end of Kathmandu, a few minutes’ walk from the famous Swayambhu stupa. The museum has a large collection of weapons and art and antiquities of historic and cultural importance. Initially built as a collection house for war trophies and weapons, the museum has an extraordinary cache of eighteenth century and nineteenth century weapons, locally-made firearms captured from the various wars, leather canons, and relics of natural calamities like the Great Earthquake of 1934. In addition, the museum is a unique treasure house of medieval and modern works in wood, metal, bronze, and stone. The painting section has some beautiful old thangkas and sequences of meditation paintings.