Sri Lanka's largest museum, an elegant colonial-era building housing the island's finest collection of art, regalia and antiquities.

Overview

The Colombo National Museum holds the country's most important collections, from the jewelled crown and throne of the last Kandyan kings to ancient bronzes, masks, and Buddhist and Hindu sculpture. The grand Italian-style building sits in leafy Cinnamon Gardens, and the natural history museum shares the same grounds. It is the best place to make sense of Sri Lanka's long and layered history.

History

The museum was established in 1877 under the British governor Sir William Henry Gregory and housed in a purpose-built neoclassical structure designed by James George Smither. It is administered by the Department of National Museums as the flagship of the country's museum network.