classical dramas and operas. The Hall of Ethnic Culture on the fourth floor shows national dresses and traditional artifacts of various ethnic groups of Myanmar. The fifth floor of the museum consists of halls for the Buddha Images, dating back to the Pyu Period and up to the present day. Historic periods In the exhibition hall on Natural History, there are many fossils, dating back millions of years, including a 40-million-year-old anthropoid primate, found in the Pondaung region in Upper Myanmar. The hall of Pre-historic Times houses a replica of the Padah-Lin Caves, complete with its over 10,000-year-old Stone Age drawings, stone weapons of the Neolithic period, and bronze weapons of a later age. The hall also has exhibits on Pyu period (1st to 9th century), artifacts such as clay pots, urns, votive tablets and necklaces, as well as those found in archaeological excavations at the ancient Pyu city of Sri Ksetra. In the hall of Burmese History are exhibits on the pagodas, temples, monasteries and ordination halls of the Bagan Period and the marvelous murals of the Pinya, Inwa, Taungoo, and Konbaung periods. Rare ancient votive tablets with moldings from scenes of the jataka stories are also on display. The Royal Regalia hall houses displays of beautifully ornamented objects used in royal ceremonies of ancient kings from different periods. The Throne Room houses miniature models of the eight kinds of thrones of ancient Burmese kings and the magnificent Royal Lion Throne of the last Burmese monarch King Thibaw in all its original majesty, used in Hluttaw Hall (or Hall of Council of Ministers). The Yadanabon Period Exhibit hall has displays on clothing fashions, furniture and other household articles, such as a palanquin used by King Thibaw's Chief Abbot. Organisational development and international cooperation In 2015, the museums of Myanmar joined the International Council of Museums (ICOM) for wider international cooperation. In order to meet international standards of skills training and development for staff in museums to protect, safeguard and share the country's unique cultural heritage, the National Museum has also cooperated with the British Council Burma and the Collections Trust, a London-based charity. Among other activities, training courses were organized to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to increase the growth and sustainability of galleries and museums in Myanmar. See also List of museums in Myanmar National Museum of Myanmar (Naypyidaw) Mandalay Cultural Museum References Literature External links Masterpieces