National
Museum,Colombo
(Closed on Fridays)
Situated in Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo
7. It is the first public museum to be established
in Sri Lanka (1877). Best known for its collection
of antiques and objects displaying the cultural heritage
of Sri Lanka, including national treasures and artefacts
from all parts of the island. A section of the first
floor houses the Puppetry and Children's Museum. It
also houses a library with a collection of about 500,000
books, and more than 4,000 ancient palm leaf manuscripts.
(Tel : +94 11-26974678)
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National
Museum Of Natural History
(Closed on Fridays)
Situated in the same premise as the national museum,
it is also accessible from Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha,
Colombo 7. Displays the Natural Heritage of Sri Lanka.
Fauna are displayed in dioramas, and there are sections
on applied botany, geology and fossils and the natural
environment. In the Discovery Room one finds the mounted
skeleton of an elephant and a scale model in relief
showing the topography of a part of Sri Lanka.
(Tel: +94 11-26974678)
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The
Dutch Period Museum
(Closed on Fridays)
Situated at Kumara Weediya, Pettah, Colombo11, the
old "Dutch House" in Prince Street, Pettah, which
houses this museum was built in the latter part of
the 17th century. It was the residence of Count August
Carl Van Ranzow. Today, the sides of the streets are
filled with boutiques and stores of traders. The building
embodies the unique architectural features of a colonial
Dutch town house. The museum which displays the
Dutch legacy with artefact - viz. furniture, ceramics,
coins, arms, etc. - portrays facets of contemporary
life and culture.
(Tel: +94 11-2448466)
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Kandy
National Museum
(Closed on Fridays & Saturdays)
Situated behind the Temple of the Tooth, in a building
of historical and architectural interest. Its collections
are all of the Kandyan period in the 17th-18th Century.
(Tel: +94 08-223867)
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Ratnapura Museum
(Closed on Thursdays & Fridays)
The national museum, Ratnapura, is housed in the famous
Ehelapola Walauwa, on the Colombo Road in Ratnapura.
The museum displays the prehistory of Sri Lanka famous
for gems, the process of gem-mining is displayed through
a model. Some of the artefacts displayed here reflect
the unique arts and culture of the Sabaragamuwa Province.
(Tel: +94 45-22451)
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Anuradhapura
Folk Museum
(Closed on Thursdays & Fridays)
The Folk Museum is in the sacred city close to the
Archaeological Museum. It houses a collection of artefacts
which illustrate the rural life of the North Central
Province.
(Tel: +94 25-22589)
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Galle
National Museum
(Closed on Sundays & Mondays)
Within the Fort of Galle, in a Dutch Colonial building
in Church street, is the Cultural Museum adjoining
the New Oriental Hotel. Its artefacts reflect the
culture of the Southern Province.
(Tel: +94 09-32051)
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The
National Maritime Museum, Galle
(Closed on Fridays & Saturdays)
Located within the Galle Fort in a colonial Dutch
warehouse with imposing pillars, this museum displays
the fauna and flora of the sea and the environment.
Artefacts consist of preserved material and scale
models of whales and fish.
(Tel: +94 09-42261)
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Bandaranaike
Museum
BMICH (Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference
Hall) houses memorabilia of Mr. S.W.R.D.Bandaranike,
Prime Minister, assassinated in 1956. Admission: Adults
Rs. 2/-, Children Rs. 1/- Photography permitted. Guides
free of Charge.
(Tel: +94 11-2691131, 2686421)
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Jayawardane
Cultural Centre
Archives and Library situated at 191, Dharmapala
Mawatha, Colombo 7, houses many valuable books inherited
as "family treasure" by late President J.R.Jayawardena
and priceless gifts received by him from many heads
of States during his distinguished career.
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Maligawa Museum
Centuries old articles given to Sri Dalada Maligawa
by kinds, nobles and other devotees have been put
on display in a well laid out museum within the precincts
of the Maligawa Museum.The two upper levels of the building
at the back of the shrine house of this museum where
rare ola manuscripts, Royal apparel, life size models
of the lost King and Queen of Kandy, variety of antiquities
and ornaments, ritual objects can be seen.
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Monument To
Rajah (Former Maligawa Tusker)
To the North of the Maligawa complex facing Natha
Devale is the mausoleum of Rajaa, the most devout
servant of the Maligawa. Rajah, the Maligawa tusker
that carried the relic casket in the annual Esala
perahera for 50 year from 1937 to 1987 died in 1988.
But the majestic tusker still stands gracefully in
still life inside the building with an extended lease
of life given by local taxidermists brining nostalgic
memories to those who have seen it carrying the caske
in the perahera. Visit to the mausoleum is a tribute
paid to the dead tusker.
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Koggala Folk
Musuem
Koggala Folk Museum presents a rare collection of
folk implements and appliances from different parts
of the Island. The items are arranged under twenty
five different categories representing handicrafts,
folk art and music, cottage industries, agriculture,
folk medicines, costumes, religion etc. this museum
created at a tribute of Martin Wickramasinghe, the
doyen of Sinhala writers is Ginpathaliya in Koggala,
the birthplace of the late writer that had once been
the playing field of your Wickramasinghe.
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Archaeological
Museum
The Department of Archaeology maintains archaeological
museums at Anuradhapura, Kandy, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa,
Jaffna, Panduwasnuwara, Ampara, Yapahuwa and Dedigama.
Open on all days except Tuesday from0800 hrs to 17000
hrs.
Publications on respective archaeological sites are available
on sale.
Photography: Permitted from Commissioner of Archaeology,
Dept. f Archaeology. Sir Marcus Fernando Mw, Colombo
7
(Rel: +94 11-s694727) |
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