National Maritime Archaeological Museum

by Husna Inayathullah

The National Maritime Museum is within the Galle Fort. It was first opened to the public on May 9, 1992. It is located in the Dutch East India Company VOC Warehouse above the old gate of the Galle Fort built in 1671.

It is the only museum in Sri Lanka which provides information on marine biology and the anthropological aspects of the Southern coastal area. It is worth to exploring this amazing historic Warehouse building.

The numerous wrecks on display have provided great finds. Sri Lanka was in the middle of a trade route and there are many examples of pottery, weapons, clothing, food and drink containers and ship maintenance store room equipment such as ropes, blocks, anchors and maps. We can learn about the Sri Lankan fishing boats, the visiting merchants and the colonial powers.

Exhibits of marine artefacts found in underwater explorations are showcased in the Museum. There are maps, naval craft, ropes, earthenware, beer mugs, smoking pipes, barrels, a vast number of articles including artillery guns and sailor shoes. These artefacts were recovered from ship wrecks off the Southern coast, some of which are nearly 800 years old.

There are exhibits on life in the oceans that surround Sri Lanka. It covers the flora as well as the fauna. There are exhibits on different environments such as the sea grass bed, mangrove swamps, coral beds, and deep sea habitats. Children can enjoy leaning about the whales. There are some dioramas on the fishing industry in Sri Lanka and the boats that used.

The museum was flooded in the tsunami in 2004 but with help from the Government of the Netherlands the museum has been restored. One can also learn about the work of the Sri Lankan maritime archaeologist teams who are surveying the 26 shipwrecks in the Galle Harbour. Traders have visited Sri Lanka for thousands of years. They came from Arabia, Africa, China and Europe.

There are a number of Chinese vases on display.

There are dioramas depicting early Sri Lankan hunters. There is a section on the occupation of Ceylon by the Dutch East India Company VOC and the effect it had on trade.

With the arrival of the European colonial powers the museum shows the effect on the local population who embraced the manners and dress of the Portuguese, Dutch or British. There is also a large model of an early European armed sailing boat.