National Museum of Colombo, also known as the Sri Lanka National Museum is one of two museums in Colombo. It is the largest museum in Sri Lanka. It is maintained by the Department of National Museum of the central government. The museum holds contains a collections of much importance to Sri Lanka such as the regalia of the country, including the throne and crown of the Kandayan monarchs as well as many other exhibits telling the story of ancient Sri Lanka.

The Independence Memorial Museum is situated right under the monument in the center of Independence Square. It's a small museum which is dedicated to the history of the independence movement in Sri Lanka. When I visited there was no air conditioning and fans were turned off. So be prepared to start sweating within a couple of minutes. The gallery of Sri Lankan great historical figures is especially striking. It features a number of busts in a long lineup.

I love the roads here, surrounded by trees everywhere. the monument itself does give a great view inside out. Lovely place for a mini gateway or just walk around with music. A children park is present along with a jogging track. Some ponds are present to give lovely views, however, the ponds need to be maintained a bit more.

This place is located in the Independence square. This place is surrounded by well maintained and worth to watch gardens. Lot of people come here to take pics and to hangouts. This memorial museum located at the head of the monument is the statue of the first prime minister of the country Rt. Hon. Don Stephen Senanayake "The Father of the Nation". Most of the annual National Independence Day celebrations have been held here.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL MUSEUM IN COLOMBO ...................... The Colombo Museum, as it was called at the beginning, was established on 1 January 1877. Its founder was Sir William Henry Gregory the British Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the time.[3] The Royal Asiatic Society (CB) was instrumental in bringing to the notice of Gregory on his appointment as governor in 1872 the need for a public Museum with much difficulty the approval of the legislative council was obtained within a year. The Architect of the Public Works Department, James G. Smither (1833–1910)[3] was able to prepare the plans for new structure on Italian Architectural style. The construction was completed in 1876 and the museum commenced it functions in the following year. The construction of the museum was carried out by Arasi Marikar Wapchie Marikar[3] (1829–1925, aka Wapchi Marikar, who was descended from the Sheiq Fareed family who arrived in Ceylon in 1060), paternal grandfather of Sir Razik Fareed. Wapchi Marikar was the builder of the General Post Office in Colombo, Colombo Customs, Old Town Hall in Pettah, Galle Face Hotel, Victoria Arcade, Finlay Moir building, the Clock Tower, Batternburg Battery and many other buildings that are still standing today (2011). The Old Town Hall in Pettah, which is now a busy market, was built on a contract for the sum of 689 Sterling Pounds. In January 1877, the completed building of the Colombo Museum was declared open by Governor Gregory, in the presence of a large crowd, amongst which there were many Muslims present. At the end of the ceremony, the governor asked Wapchi Marikar what honour he wished to have for his dedication. He asked the same question of the carpenter S.M. Perera who was responsible for the woodwork of the museum, who requested and was awarded a local rank. Marikar requested that the museum be closed on Fridays, the Muslim sabbath; this request was granted and maintained, although the museum later much opened on all days except public holidays[4] When the throne of the last Kandyan King was to be exhibited at the museum, the then prime minister, Mr. D.S. Senanayake, obtained the consent of Sir Razik Fareed, Wapchi Marikar’s grandson, to keep the museum open on the intervening Fridays only.

A most beautiful well kept monument in a nicely landscaped compound. Impressive views from all around, with my favourite being the neat ornate pillars of the hall. Very cooling area with high ceiling and spacious enough for even children to run around. One of a calm place around Colombo city!

One of most calming place in Colombo City.. 🌆 It was built as a memorial building to celebrate the freedom of Ceylon from British.. 🇱🇰🇬🇧 Not much crowded on weekends mornings.. 👩‍👦‍👦 It’s a nice place to spend the day with family or fiancé.. It’s a beautiful photographic location too.. 📸 And also there’s a underneath entrance to a historical museum which is very attractive.. It is very helpful for pupils and also elders who need knowledge of history of Ceylon.. Ticket prices as follows.. •Local adults - 50/= •Children - 25/= •Foriegn adult - 500/= •Foriegn child - 300/= Museum is open from 9 am to 4.30 pm 😎 Much recommended place.. ☺️ •Cleanliness - 10/10 🧹 •Calmness - 8/10 😌 •No shops nearby 😬☹️

This is the monument of free Sri Lanka. It is crowded with many people in the evening. A great place to spend free time.

The museum shows history of Colombo and statues of political leaders. The fee is 500 lot and credit card is accepted. Can spend 10-15 mins if you like skimming. Outside the museum is quite nice. Lots of people exercise. Nice breeze.

The Independence Memorial Museum in Colombo is a captivating tribute to Sri Lanka's journey to freedom. The museum showcases historical exhibits, documents, and artifacts that highlight the nation's struggle for independence. The beautifully designed monument and its serene surroundings make it a significant landmark to explore. A visit here offers a profound appreciation for Sri Lanka's heritage and the sacrifices made by its people. An enlightening experience for anyone interested in the country's history and the path to independence.

Good place to visit in Colombo if you like history and culture. The museum showcases the history of Sri Lanka. There is a Laksala shop where you can by souvenir and there are other stuff also. Cloths seems to be responsibly priced.

You can pass by or see it in 10 mins. People were doing all sort of workout videos in this premises. Parking was available. We went there in the evening. Other museums were nearby. Area was very clean. History lovers must visit.

"I had the privilege of visiting the Independence Memorial Museum in Sri Lanka, and it's an exceptional place for history enthusiasts and students alike. The museum offers a comprehensive journey through Sri Lanka's rich history, providing valuable insights into its struggle for independence. The exhibits are well-curated, and the museum's informative displays make it an invaluable resource for history learners. I highly recommend this museum as an educational and enriching experience."

Independence Memorial Hall (also known as Independence Commemoration Hall) is a national monument in Sri Lanka built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from the British rule with the restoration of full governing responsibility[2] to a Ceylonese-elected legislature on February 4, 1948. It is located in Independence Square (formerly Torrington Square) in the Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo. It also houses the Independence Memorial Museum.

Calm place, very nice place for kids to play around Reflecting the culture of Sri lanka, nice not to miss place. When you visit Sri lanka , especially at Colombo must visit location as one of main land mark in sri lanka ! Beautiful place to visit and relax.

(Translated by Google) National Museum National Museum 1877 The Colombo Museum, founded by Sir Gregory William, then Governor of Britain. During the reign of Mr. Shiran Deraniyagala, small museums were established in several other parts of the country and became national museums. We call the Colombo Museum the largest and national museum in the country. Designed using Italian architecture, this majestic White House houses a wealth of treasures from the Lions of the Kings of the country to various kingdoms. (Original) National Museum ජාතික කෞතුකාගාරය 1877 ශ්‍රීමත් ග්‍රෙගරි විලියම් එවකට සිටි බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ආණ්ඩුකාරවරයා විසින් ආරම්භ කරන ලද කොළඹ කෞතුකාගාරය. ශිරාන් දැරනියගල මහතාගේ සමයේ රටේ තවත් ප්‍රදේශ කිහිපයක කුඩා කෞතුකාගාර බිහිවීමත් සමග ජාතික කෞතුකාගාර බවට පත්විය. අප කොළඹ කෞතුකාගාර නමින් හඳුන්වන්නේ රටේ විශාලම හා ජාතික කෞතුකාගාරයයි. ඉතාලි ගෘහ නිර්මාණ ශිල්පය උපයෝගි කරගෙන නිර්මාණය කර ඇති මෙම සුවිසල් ධවල මන්දිරයෙහි රටේ රජ්ජුරුවන්ගේ සිංහ ආසනයේ සිට විවිධ රාජධානි වලට අයත් මහා වස්තු සම්භාරයක් තැම්පත් කර ඇත.

Not crowded and a very well illustrated history museum. The door is towards the garden side, tickets are pretty cheap… Tip: finish the site seeing and then go to the museum… they have details not only related to recent events but from the first kings…

(Went on 20 June 2023, reviewed on 17 July 2023) This is a place interested for those learning about Sri Lanka's history leading to its independence (on February 4 1948). It's quite informative, although I am not interested in history and politics in detail.

Best

Closed in poya days..

Well maintained and supervisors everywhere monitoring that no one touches anything that shouldn't be touched. Need at least 5 to 6 hours to see everything with patients. It will be boring for small kids. Carry plenty on water and comfortable shoes as need to walk a lot.

This museum is pretty original and provides a comprehensive story of the history of Sri Lanka though various art and artifacts. If you're not able to get to places like Sigiriya on your trip to Sri Lanka then the museum is able to provide you a glimpse of the countries historic sites and artifacts. A good way to spend half a day in Colombo for any history buff.

a wonderful museum with a large collection of masks, coins, costumes, weapons and a wide variety of household items. I recommend to everyone!

If you are a history lover and have a keen eye for architecture, the National Museum is probably one of the first few places to visit in Colombo. Established during 1877, this is the biggest museum in the island nation and is undoubtedly the pride of Sri Lanka. The place houses some of the best and personalised collections of the ancient Kandyan dynasty rulers. Location: The museum built in Italian architecture style, is located right in the heart of the Colombo city. Highlights: The museum’s library deserves special mention as it contains rich manuscripts in palm leaves in languages like Burmese, Sinhala, Telugu, Tamil and much more. Timings: The museum is open on all days except national holidays from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Price: Approximate price for local adults and kids are 35 LKR and 20 LKR respectively, whereas, for foreign adults and kids, the prices are 600 LKR and 300 LKR respectively.

Loved the place and took little more than 3h to cover the place.

It took 3 hours to finish. You can ask for explanations. Good parking place is there.

A great place to remind us the greatness of the fallen kingdoms of srilanka

There are many things in there

Independence Memorial Museum in Colombo, Sri Lanka is located in the basement of the Independence Memorial Hall, Independence Square (formally Torrington Square) in the Cinnamon Gardens. It is maintained by the Department of National Museum.The museum was established with the objective honouring national heroes who were instrumental in the country gaining independence from the British Rule. The Museum has a series of busts, display boards depicting the names, images and information of the political leaders, clergy and the lay patriots who were at the centre of the struggle for independence

Reflecting the culture of Srilanka, nice not to miss place.

The most beautiful location in this busy area to have a calm and peaceful time.... Really this is a independence square.... No one is there to disturb.... You can explore your freedom as you wish.... You can do jogging and cycling.... Parking facilities are available.... Also there is a cafeteria and a separate juice bar.... Almost everytime you spend here is good even though its get crowded....

Independence Memorial Museum is small museum that displays independence related items. It has statues of leaders who contributed to the independence of the nation. Also it has things from colonial powers. Also you can enjoy some paintings. You can see arms such as guns, swords, knifes, etc. It doesn't have much things to see. It is located beneath the independent square. At the entrance, you can buy tickets.

Very nice memorial site and museum. I recommend visiting it but the the only problem is that it is not easy to find taxia to go back to the center of Colombo. The memorial site is surrounded by very nice gardens where you can also have nice walks in the afternoon.

Wonderful place to visit, walk, concerts and jogging... Place to take w breath

Historical place. Very old architecture being maintaining well.

A small museum dedicated to the history of independence movement of srilanka and located at the centre of independance square. Better to visit in the evening as in day it will be humid.

Ancient equipment can be seen.

Nice pictures taken there, beautiful landscapes.

Nice and peaceful place to spend time.

The short history before we gained independence in 1948 my 1st visit

Historical place in colombo. Best place for hangouts.

Simple, beautiful colonaded structure, surrounded by a very well kept public park. One of my favorite place in Colombo.

Nothing interesting to watch inside but outside view is awesome

Very good place. I cannot forget this place in my life.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful place, which has its historical significance and shows on its beams drawings that tell the story of Sri Lanka's independence. It is beautiful, but when I visited it was kind of badly maintained, with a lot of dirt around it. (Original) Local bonito, que tem seu significado histórico e mostra em suas vigas desenhos que contam a história da independência do Sri Lanka. É bonito, mas quando visitei estava meio mal cuidado, com muita sujeira em volta.

(Translated by Google) Well-kept place, beautiful park, many fireflies in the evening. (Original) Gepflegter Ort, schöner Park, abends waren viele Glühwürmchen zu sehen.

(Translated by Google) On February 4, 1948, Sri Lanka gained independence. Stephen Senanayake, whose monument stands in front of the building, is considered the father of the nation. Nice place to watch. This is the area where national ceremonies take place. The people of Sri Lanka take national symbols quite seriously - in several hotels I met with playing the national anthem every day at 9.00 - then all employees gather in front of the building and the flag is lifted on the mast. (Original) 4 lutego 1948 roku Sri Lanka uzyskała niepodległość. Za ojca narodu uważa się Stephena Senanayake, którego pomnik stoi przed budynkiem. Ładne miejsce warte obejrzenia . Jest to teren, gdzie odbywają się uroczystości narodowe. Mieszkańcy Sri Lanki dość poważnie traktują symbole narodowe - w kilku hotelach spotkałam się z odtwarzaniem hymnu narodowego każdego dnia o 9.00 - wtedy to wszyscy pracownicy gromadzą się przed budynkiem i wciągana jest flaga na maszt.

Nice place

(Translated by Google) To afford a wheelchair (Original) Kumudu mawatha piliyandala

Grate place to spend leisure time

Free and cool place

Museum got very less exhibits..nothing much to see.

Historical memorial

You should go there

(Translated by Google) Sober civil monument that recalls religious architecture visible in many times in the country. It recalls the independence of the Island, reached in 1948, by British colonialism that dominated starting from 1796, succeeding the first Portuguese rulers and then the Dutch. (Original) Sobrio monumento civile che ricorda l'architettura religiosa visibile in molti Tempi nel Paese. Ricorda l'indipendenza dell'Isola, raggiunta nel 1948, dal colonialismo britannico che dominò a partire dal 1796, succedendo ai dominatori portoghesi prima ed olandesi poi.

(Translated by Google) Very interesting for a first introduction to the history of Sri Lanka. Admission to the Independence Memorial Hall is free, the Hall is always accessible. (Original) Sehr interessant für einen ersten Einstieg in die Geschichte Sri Lankas. Der Eintritt in die Independence Memorial Hall ist frei, die Hall ist immer zugänglich.

One of the rare historical place in Colombo

Gracious, better to visit, clean, great staff, appreciate that 👍👍

Worth visiting

Beautiful place. Open to to everyone!

Best place to hangout

Place is good but nothing exciting.

Amazing place with a history!

Recommended that you visit...

Sri Lankan history in a nut shell for busy people.

This is a great way to learn about Sri Lanka’s history and culture. While dated, that adds to its charm. It’s a worthwhile stop - one our guide nearly convinced us to skip since they don’t bring many tourists there, but that does a disservice to many of the wonderful collections there.

The Colombo Museum, as it was called at the beginning, was established on 1 January 1877. Its founder was Sir William Henry Gregory the British Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the time. The Royal Asiatic Society (CB) was instrumental in bringing to the notice of Gregory on his appointment as governor in 1872 the need for a public Museum with much difficulty the approval of the legislative council was obtained within a year. The Architect of the Public Works Department, James G. Smither (1833–1910)[3] was able to prepare the plans for new structure on Italian Architectural style. The construction was completed in 1876 and the museum commenced it functions in the following year. The construction of the museum was carried out by Arasi Marikar Wapchie Marikar (1829–1925, aka Wapchi Marikar, who was descended from the Sheiq Fareed family who arrived in Ceylon in 1060), paternal grandfather of Sir Razik Fareed. Wapchi Marikar was the builder of the General Post Office in Colombo, Colombo Customs, Old Town Hall in Pettah, Galle Face Hotel, Victoria Arcade, Finlay Moir building, the Clock Tower, Batternburg Battery and many other buildings that are still standing today (2011). The Old Town Hall in Pettah, which is now a busy market, was built on a contract for the sum of 689 Sterling Pounds. In January 1877, the completed building of the Colombo Museum was declared open by Governor Gregory, in the presence of a large crowd, amongst which there were many Muslims present. At the end of the ceremony, the governor asked Wapchi Marikar what honour he wished to have for his dedication. He asked the same question of the carpenter S.M. Perera who was responsible for the woodwork of the museum, who requested and was awarded a local rank. Marikar requested that the museum be closed on Fridays, the Muslim sabbath; this request was granted and maintained, although the museum later much opened on all days except public holidays

This place contains precious knowledge about the history of srilanka. Organized in a good way. It will take around 2 hours to view all the contents.

Most historical place in Sri lanka... we can get know history of Srilanka by the museum.

Nice place which shows the national heritages of Sri lanka

A great place for anyone who wants to explore Sri Lankan culture and history. Friendly staff and clean environment. There's a clean canteen and a good up to date health precautions also. A must visit in Colombo City.

nothing has changed for 20 years. the museum should look at introducing AR to enhance the experince of the users.

Located in colombo city.Many antiquities belonging to Sri Lanka have been deposited.

Established during 1877, this is the biggest museum in the island nation and is undoubtedly the pride of Sri Lanka. The place houses some of the best and personalised collections of the ancient Kandyan dynasty rulers. Carrying striking reflections of the Italian style of architecture, the museum houses countless artefacts dating back several centuries, portraying the cultural and natural nuances of the country. Check out the magnificent throne of the last king of Kandi, along with the royal throne of King Wimaladharmasuriya II and pair of Bodhisattva sandals dating back to the 9th century! If you’re a history fanatic or simply curious about the culture of Sri Lanka, a visit to the National Museum of Colombo has ample treats to tickle your fancy.

Well maintained

Great place

Wonderful place

Old time favorite place.

Historicals to admire

Must visit...

good place

I visited last year,

(Translated by Google) Museum where equipment, objects, texts, sculptures, masks, etc ... are exhibited, everything you need to understand the culture and tradition of this splendid country. The visit requires at least 2-3 hours of time and in our opinion should be organized at the beginning of the holiday. (Original) Museo dove si trovano esposte attrezzature, oggettistica, testi, sculture, maschere, ecc... tutto il necessario per capire la cultura e la tradizione di questo splendido paese. La visita necessita di almeno 2-3 ore di tempo e a nostro avviso andrebbe organizzata all'inizio della vacanza.

ProuD to be a sri lankan. After visiting this place.

Great place to know the sri lankan history

There are lot to learn and observe

Very interesting

Good place for people who seek knowledge. Especially children. Mostly school trips are planned to visit the museum. Very beautiful Ancient building. Well maintained. You can see the things belong to ancient kingdoms as well as arts, coins... act.

not bad

Fully worth the price many things to see and the staff was nice

Its fully filled with nice things.. but staff people dont know anything to explain..

You can see the ancient things of Sri Lanka

Good place to get knowledge about history of Sri Lanka.It has good cool environment and good landscpaing.

Must-visit in Colombo

Grt place to visit for the holidays

This place have a large collection of our heritage.

Its great museum

Sri lankan heritage legacy

Valuable Place 💙

(Translated by Google) Ok, okay (Original) جيد لاباس به

A must visit if you are exploring history of Colombo and Sri Lanka. Also the track which is near by the memorial place is a great place to do jogging and cycling

A most beautiful well kept monument in a nicely landscaped compound. Impressive views from all around, with my favourite being the neat ornate pillars of the hall. Very cooling area with high ceiling and spacious enough for even children to run around.

happy, relax, moody, walk, run, snack, hangout, slowdrive

Lots to see and learn about Sri Lankan History, Flora and Fauna. Suggested to visit after your Sri Lankan trip, you can relate to the exibits even better.

Monument with good history

Open space, no public amenities.

This is a very beautiful location with a traditional building and a near by park. However, me and 4 others were thrown out from here by the security guy saying we don’t have permit to take photos after figuring out that we were muslims. Tourists from other religions and sri lankans were taking photos but were but were not thrown out.

My fav calm place but can't eat here even biscuits