Museums in Sri Lanka

Museums in Sri Lanka (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ කෞතුකාගාර ලැයිස්තුව; Tamil: இலங்கையில் உள்ள அருங்காட்சியகங்களின் பட்டியல்) began with the establishment of the first museum in the country, the Colombo Museum, on 1 January 1877 (Embuldeniya & Karunarathna, 2019; Rambukwella, 2014). After that, as a result of the National Museums Ordinance, passed in 1942, more museums were established at Kandy (1942), Jaffna (1943), Ratnapura (1946), Anuradhapura [(1947) Rambukwella, 2014]. These museums were further developed or expanded with time and in addition to them, museums with different themes such as history, archaeology, heritage were gradually established all over the country by three main government institutes; namely the Department of National Museums, Department of Archaeological Survey, and the Central Cultural Fund (Rambukwella, 2014). Besides the main museums administered by these institutes, several small museums and private collections are also maintained by different authorities, such as universities, companies, government institutions, provincial councils, district authorities and private owners (Rambukwella, 2014).

Museums under the Department of National Museums

Including the five main designated national museums, nine museums are administered by the Department of National Museums today (Rambukwella, 2014). Moreover, several school museums are also managed by them (Rambukwella, 2014).

1) Colombo National Museum
2) Kandy National Museum
3) Ratnapura National Museum
4) Galle National Museum
5) National Museum of Natural History
6) Falk Museum, Anuradhapura

7) Maritime Museum, Galle
8) Dutch Museum, Colombo
9) Independence Memorial Museum
10) Ancient Technology Museum
11) Magampura Ruhuna Heritage Museum

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Museums under the Department of Archaeological Survey

The Department of Archaeological Survey of Sri Lanka manages twenty-seven archaeological museums (Rambukwella, 2014).

North Central Province

1) Anuradhapura Museum (Regional)
2) Mihintale Museum (Site)
3) Veheragala Museum (Site)

4) Isurumuniya Museum (Site)
5) Tantirimale Museum (Site)
6) Padaviya Museum (Site)

North Western Province

1) Panduwasnuwara Museum (Regional)
2) Puttalam Museum (Site)
3) Yapahuwa Museum (Site)

4) Rajanganaya Museum (Site)
5) Dambadeniya Museum (Site)

Southern Province

1) Star Fort Museum, Matara (Regional)
2) Yatala Vehera Museum (Site)

3) Kasagala Museum (Site)
4) Mulkirigala Museum (Site)

Eastern Province

1) Dighavapi Museum (Regional)
2) Seruwila Museum (Site)

3) Velgam Vehera Museum (Site)

Central Province

1) Kandy Museum (Regional)
2) Nalanda Museum (Site)

3) Pidurangala Museum (Site)

Northern Province

1) Jaffna Museum (Regional)

2) Vavuniya Museum (Regional)

Uva Province

1) Buduruwagala Museum (Regional)

2) Maligavila Museum (Site)

Sabaragamuwa Province

1) Dedigama Museum (Regional)

Western Province

1) Kotte Museum (Regional)

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Museums under the Central Cultural Fund

Seven museums are presently administered by the Central Cultural Fund (Rambukwella, 2014).

1) Kataragama Museum
2) Maritime Archaeology, Galle
3) Jetavanarama Museum
4) Abhayagiriya Museum

5) Sigiriya Museum
6) Polonnaruwa Museum
7) Dambulla Museum

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Other Museums

1) Agriculture Museum, Gannoruwa
2) Ceylon Tea Museum, Hantana
3) Economic History Museum
4) Highway and Railway History Museum
5) International Buddhist Museum, Kandy
6) Maritime and Naval History Museum

7) Martin Wickramasinghe Museum
8) Old Town Hall Museum
9) Temple of the Tooth Relic Museum
10) Tusker Raja Memorial Museum, Kandy
11) Walisinghe Harishchandra Museum
12) Maritime Museum, Colombo Port

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References

1) Embuldeniya, P., Karunarathna, K.G.M., 2019. Significance of developing museums in Sri Lanka as tourist attractions: with special reference to national museums. EPRA International Journal of Research and Development. Vol. IV. Issue 2. pp.14-21.

2) Rambukwella, M.W.C.N.K., 2014. Heritage representation in culturally diverse societies: a case study of the Colombo National Museum in Sri Lanka (Doctoral dissertation, School of Museum Studies). pp.130-140,401-423.

This page was last updated on 26 February 2023