Located in Bhubaneswar, it is popularly called the Tribal Museum. The museum has been conceptualized as a “Museum of Man”, and initially the museum’s artefacts were displayed in a single hall. In 1986, five tribal huts were constructed on the premises of the Schedule Castes & Schedule Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI), and several of the artefacts collected by the museum were displayed within them.

On 5th March 2001, the Museum building was inaugurated within the lush green campus of the SCSTRTI making it an integral part of the institute. Showcasing the rich cultural past and present of Odisha’s tribes, the Odisha State Tribal Museum is a living museum.

A hub of anthropological knowledge for visitors and research scholars, the Museum’s primary role is to represent the richness of indigenous tribal cultures, and the mutlifaceted religious, cultural and social systems followed by tribal communities. As a wing of the SCSTRTI, Government of Odisha, the museum organizes several training programs, workshops and seminars for the conservation of tribal culture and the development of tribal communities.

The Tribal Shrine Crafts arena has also been developed, along with Auditorium facilities for screening of films on tribal life and culture and an herbal garden. More recently, the Museum has initiated several annual festivals and crafts demonstration programs where tribal communities can be seen celebrating their traditions and way of life.