The largest museum in Sri Lanka, the National Museum of Colombo was established in January 1877 by Sir William Henry Gregory, the then British Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Currently maintained by the Department of National Museum of the central government, the museum is home to a lot of important collections, including the crown and throne of the Kandyan monarchs.
Housed in a two-storied building, the museum has a big, well-maintained, lush green lawn right in front that is shaded by mighty banyan trees, which adds to the beauty of the place. As you enter the museum, you shall also find a fourth-century Buddha smiling at you in the lobby. Going forward, you will be mesmerized to find the collections in the museum.
The galleries are as old as 1877, and you shall find all sorts of ancient art, carvings, and statues from Sri Lanka’s past along with a collection of antique demon masks. You can also find guns, swords, and other things from the colonial times. If you love art, you are totally in for a treat as the gallery also has in display 19th-century reproductions of English paintings of Sri Lanka.
On display are the royal throne made for King Wimaladharmasuriya II in 1693, the 9th-century bronze Bodhisattva Sandals, and much more. And that is not all. There are agricultural displays and many more things that are sure to grab your attention and leave a mark in your memories.
It is quite easy to reach the National Art Museum from Colombo airport. The distance between Colombo Airport (CMB) and the National Museum of Colombo is 30 km and takes about 25 minutes.
1. Flight: You can take a flight (to Diyawanna Oya Airport) which is close to the museum.
2. Cab: You can also hire a cab and reach in 25-30 minutes.
3. Tuktuk: Another means of transport to reach the national museum from the airport is a tuktuk.
Here are the different types of day & night tour packages that you can book with Thrillophilia: