A museum in the City of Gems displaying precious and semi-precious stones alongside the tools and story of Sri Lanka's gem trade.

Overview

Fitting for the capital of Sri Lanka's gem country, Ratnapura's gem museum showcases an array of the sapphires, rubies, cat's eyes, amethysts and other precious and semi-precious stones for which the district is famous. Displays explain how the gems are mined from the region's alluvial gravels, cut and polished, alongside geological samples, replicas of famous stones and traditional mining tools. It is a compact, informative stop that puts the town's bustling gem trade in context.

History

Ratnapura, whose name means 'city of gems', has been a centre of gem mining and trading since antiquity, with stones from its valleys traded along ancient Indian Ocean routes. The town's museums and gemmological displays grew up around this centuries-old industry, which still dominates local life today.