Archaeological Museum Sarnath is the oldest site museum of Archaeological Survey of India in real sense. In order to preserve and display the antiquities found from the site during the excavations, a decision was taken in 1905 by the Government to construct a site museum adjacent to the excavated area at Sarnath. It was due initiative of Sir John Marshall, the then Director General of Archaeology in India, that this museum was created. The plans were prepared by Mr. James Ransome , the then Consulting Architect to the Government of India. The building was completed in 1910 to house, display and study the antiquities in their right perspective. The building forms half of a monastery ( sangharama) in plan. There are five galleries & two verandahs in the museum to display the antiquities ranging in time from third century B.C. to twelfth century A.D. found at Sarnath.