The Department of National Museums maintains its main museum in Colombo with branches in Kandy, Ratnapura, Galle, and Anuradhapura. The Colombo National Museum which was Sri Lanka’s very first museum established in 1877, houses several interesting exhibits on the ancient kingdoms of Sri Lanka. A first stop here before you venture off on your exploration of the island’s cultural heritage, will provide a more indepth understanding.

The Department of Archeology also maintains a network of archeological museums which are located nearby historical sites and provides valuable insights into Sri Lanka’s heritage from pre-historic settlements to the Colonial period. Archeological Museums are located in Anuradhapura, Polonnauwa, Isurumuniya, Sigirya, Buduruwagala, Kataragama, Kandy, Kotte, Mihintale, Matara, Yapahuwa, and Yatala. The Department of Archeology website provides a listing of all museums and their locations.

Anuradhapura Archeological Museum: Located within the ancient city, the Anuradhapura Archeological Museum has stone, timber, metal and terracotta artifacts of the Anuradhapura period. There are also ancient coins and drawings.

Address: Anuradhapura Archeological Museum, Ancient city Anuradhapura
Tel: + 94 25 22411
Times: Closed on Tuesdays and public holidays

Anuradhapura Folk Museum: Located within the sacred city close to the Archaeological Museum, this folk museum houses a collection of artifacts which illustrate the rural life on the North Central Province.

Address: Anuradhapura Folk Museum, Old Town, Thuparama Road, Anuradhapura
Tel: + 94 025 2222589
Times: Sunday, Monday and Public holidays

Colombo National Museum: This was the first public museum to be established in Sri Lanka in 1877. The museum is housed in an impressive colonial building in the heart of the city, surrounded by extensive gardens filled with foliage. The museum comprises several galleries dedicated to Sri Lanka’s history and cultural heritage, literature, coins, rock sculptures from the ancient cities, period furniture, artistic theatre traditions, as well as a museum of Natural History depicting the natural heritage of Sri Lanka. Among theses galleries, those depicting the ancient kingdoms of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy and the stone galleries have been upgraded.

Address: Colombo National Museum, Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 1
Tel : +94 11 26974678
E mal: http://www.museum.gov.lk
Times: Closed on Fridays and all public holidays

Dutch Period Museum: Located on Prince Street in Pettah, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, the old "Dutch House" built by Count August Carl Van Ranzow in the latter part of the 17th century, now houses the Dutch Period Museum. The building embodies the unique architectural features of a colonial Dutch town house with columns, verandas, and courtyards. The museum provides an insight into the Dutch period in Sri Lanka and houses artifacts including furniture, ceramics, coins and photographs.

Address: Dutch Period Museum, Kumara Weediya, Pettah, Colombo 11
Tel: +94 11 2448466
Times: Closed on Fridays

Galle National Maritime Museum: Located within the Galle Fort, the National Maritime Museum is a little known Museum established in 1992. Housed in the Great Dutch-built Warehouse of 1671, near the `Old Gate’ of the Fort, the museum displays a variety of exhibits connected with sea-faring, maritime trade, fishing and sea-life.

Address: Galle National Maritime Museum, Galle Fort, Galle,
Tel: + 94 091 2232051
Times: Closed on Sunday, Monday and Public holidays

Galle National Museum: Housed in an old Dutch period building in the heart of the Fort, the Galle National Museum represents all that is Galle – Portuguese and Dutch period history, the cultural and historical influences of the Moors, weaponry, porcelain plates used by the Moors of the area in the olden days, and indigenous crafts such as Beeralu lace making introduced by the Portuguese. Also on exhibit are masks from the Kolam folk dramas.

Address: Galle National Museum, Galle Fort
Tel: +94 091 2227613
Times: Closed on Sunday, Monday and Public holidays

Kandy National Museum: Situated behind the Temple of the Tooth, in a building of historical and architectural interest, the Kandy’s National Museum provides a glimpse into the Kandyan period in the 17th-18th Century. Various items donated to the Sri Dalada Maligawa by kings, noblemen, and other devotees have been put on display in this well laid out museum. The upper levels of the building houses rare Ola m manuscripts, Royal apparel, life size models of the lost King and Queen of Kandy, and a variety of antiquities.

Address: Kandy National Museum, Dalada Veediya, Kandy
Tel: + 94 081 2223867
Times: Closed on Sundays, Mondays and all public holidays

Koggala Folk Museum: Martin Wickramasinghe, one of Sri Lanka’s famous writers, whose literally works are treasured by school children and adults alike, grew up in this small fishing village of Koggala. The Folk Museum was the author’s dream that was made a reality by the Martin Wickramasinge Trust. The Museum brings to life a little part of Koggala, which is so vividly depicted in Wickramasinghe’s writings. The various objects of folk culture acquired during his lifetime have been the starting point of the collection found in the museum, which was opened in 1981. The Museum is a growing repository of artifacts depicting the history of Sri Lankan folk culture, from ancient to modern times in order to remind the people of Sri Lanka of their living roots. The exhibits offer visitors insights into Sri Lankan folk culture.

Address: Martin Wickramasinghe Museum, Koggala, Habaraduwa,
Tel: +94 91 2283427
E-mail: museum@martinwickramasinghe.org
website: http://www.martinwickramasinghe.org

Polonnaruwa Archeological Museum: Located near the Rest House, this museum is thoughtfully laid out with interesting exhibits, and clear explanations giving an insight into the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa. The Museum takes you through a series of rooms, each dedicated to different aspects of the ancient city - the citadel, the outer city, the monastery area and the periphery, and the Hindu monuments. Each of the monuments is interestingly explained supported by small-scale architectural models and photographs of the buildings, which reconstructs how these places may have looked at the time. Of particular interest is the model of the Vatadage (circular relic house). These scaled exhibits have been made possible with the assistance of the Department of Architecture, Sri Lanka’s University of Moratuwa. The Polonnaruwa museum is well worth visiting before you head out to see Polonnaruwa’s archeological sites.

Address: Polonnaruwa Archeological Museum
Tel: +94 11 5694727
Times: Closed on Tuesdays

Sigiriya Museum: Opened in August 2009, the Sigiriya Museum is an inspiring setting where history comes alive. This modern museum set against the backdrop of the magnificent Sigiriya rock fortress, has a series of galleries that elaborates on the different aspects of the rock fortress including its surrounding sanctuary.

Address: Sigiriya Museum
Times: 8:30 to 5:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
E mail: sigiriya.museum@gmail.com
Website: http://www.sigiriyamuseum.org

Sri Lanka National Museum - http://www.museum.gov.lk
Information on Colombo National Museums and other branches islandwide

Department of Archeology – www.archeology.gov.lk
Information on ancient sites and Archeological Museums islandwide

Sri Lanka Tourist Board – www.srilankatoursim.org
Information on ancient sites, museums, cultural heritage