Kathmandu, March 30 -- Through the intricate lattice window on the western facade of the palace must have been from where the Malla kings of Patan looked down at the square below.

Today, visitors to Patan Museum can sit at the exact corner and see the same square which, several centuries later, remains largely unchanged. Except for the tourists and devotees at Krishna Mandir and other temples.

Inside is the best-designed museum in Nepal, the work of Gotz Hagmuller and his team of architects, who had made Bhaktapur his home and who died in February. Hagmuller did not just restore the old palace, but also designed the museum interior and curated the exhibits.

But most importantly, the team ensured that the museum would have an independ...