The National Museum of Sri Lanka is the largest in the country, maintained by the Department of National Museum of the central government and shelters the history of Sri Lanka’s proud heritage in form of exhibits and stories.
The History
Easily reachable from city hotels such as Mandarina Colombo, the museum is located within proximity to some of the best hotels in Colombo. Established by Sir William Henry Gregory in 1877, the Colombo Museum was brought to life by the architectural expertise of James George Smither, who prepared the structure of the building in Italian architectural style.
Development
Various branches of the museum were opened up in Jaffna, Ratnapura and Kandy. As developments grew, the museum garnered status as the National Museum of the country in 1942 during the tenure of Dr P. E. P. Deraniyagala. Additionally, 9 branches of the museum were opened along with a school science programme and mobile museum operation.
The Library
On the same day as the National Museum’s opening, the Colombo National Museum Library saw the light of the day. Incorporated with the Government Oriental Library, which was established in 1870, the Colombo National Museum Library requires a copy of every document printed in the country to be placed there and carries local publications of many years.
Other Information
The National Museum of Colombo hosts a wide array of natural and cultural exhibits, expanding into different wings of the building throughout the years. In an approximate period of 3 hours, you will be able to cover all the wings of the museum, gaining insight into Sri Lanka’s proud history and heritage that has spanned many a thousand years.
