The Phelchey Toenkhyim is dedicated to connecting people to the Bhutanese rural past through exhibition of items and artefacts used in rural households; demonstrations of rural customs, traditions, habits, and skills; educational programmes for children about rural life in Bhutan; and research and documentation of rural life.

The principal exhibit is the museum building itself, which is a restored three-storey traditional rammed mud and timber house. The design and form of the house is that of an average household in the Wang area during the mid-nineteenth century. The age of the structure demonstrates the durability and performance of the building materials. Throughout the structure, household objects, and typical domestic tools and equipment that were used by a family in a rural household during that period are on display.

Every visit to the Phelchey Toenkhyim is a unique experience because the activities of the museum follow the seasonal dynamics in the same pattern as the management of a rural household is influenced by the seasonal rhythms.

In order to present a typical Bhutanese rural setting and flavour, paddy, wheat, and millet fields, a traditional water-mill (with mill stones that date back more than 150 years), traditional style kitchen gardens with vegetables that were grown and consumed over the past hundred years, and the famous traditional hot stone bath, complement the museum building and the exhibition(s) within.

The museum is in the process of growing some of the native trees and plants that were/are used for various domestic purposes in the rural households. It is hoped that this effort will not only keep alive indigenous knowledge about the use of natural resources but also create a green oasis in the heart of the capital city.

SPECIAL OFFERS
The museum can arrange the following activities within the museum premises on request made at least a week in advance and at a nominal fee:

• Demonstrations: Of the traditional way of extracting oil (markhu tsene), bresing ara (ara kayne), roasting rice (zaw ngowni), and pounding rice (thom dhungni) at a lump sum fee of Nu. 1500.00 (exclusive fee) for three demonstrations.
• Traditional Cuisine: Open air buffet lunch and dinner consisting of a variety of traditional food items from different part of the kingdom (for groups of not less than five people at a time) at the rate of Nu. 250.00 per head can be arranged. The menu for such arrangements can be obtained separately from the Fold Heritage Museum.