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by Don Asoka Wijewardena

The National Museum is held in high esteem as it exhibits the cultural heritage of the country. It is also a repository of knowledge, artefacts, olaleaf, chronicles and statues of Lord Buddha.

The government is grateful to the HSBC Bank for modernising the museum,said Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena after opening the revamped Post-Polonnaruwa/Pre-Kandy and Kandy Kingdom Galleries at the Colombo National Museum on Wednesday.

Minister Abeywardena said that a private sector organisation such as the HSBC Bank had set an example in refurbishing the galleries of the Colombo National Museum which was in urgent need of complete modernisation. He said that many tourists, especially students of archaeology were keen on visiting the Museum as it was the true reflection of Sri Lanka's culture.

He said that people from all walks of life had been visiting the museum and the museum was of educational and historical significance. Important national institutions such as the museum should be protected to reflect the true culture of ancient Sri Lanka and added that this 128-year-old museum should be well looked after.

HSBC Bank Deputy Executive Officer Sarath Piyaratne said that the HSBC Bank which had been a trailblazer in commercial banking had rendered a national service in modernising the Colombo National Museum."

It is the bounden duty of every citizen to preserve the museum," he said.

Piyaratne said that the opening of the refurbished post-Polonnnaruwa/pre-Kandy and Kandy Kingdom galleries followed the refurbishment of the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa kingdom galleries at the museum and added that the Anuradhapura Gallery was revamped in January this year, while the Polonnaruwa gallery was opened to the public in April.

Referring to HSBC's commitment in preserving the national heritage in the country, Piyaratne said that the HSBC Bank spent Rs.4 million to revamp and fully refurbish the Post-Polonnaruwa/Pre-Kandy and Kandy Kingdom galleries in the National Museum to preserve the rich cultural and historical heritage.

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