A glimpse of former glory at the Colombo National
Museum:
History looking good!

Children pointing out to the Avalokiteswara
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International Museum Day, fell on May 18. It marks the start of
Museum Week, until May 24. Why not take a walk through the annals of Sri
Lankan history? Visit the Colombo National Museum and witness for
yourself the glorious past of our nation.
Officially opened to the public on January 1, 1877, the Colombo
National Museum is an impressive architectural structure.
Stately and beautifully laid in an immense, landscaped property in
the heart of Colombo city, the building was designed by James G. Smither
in the late 1870s for the sole purpose of housing the museum; and was
contracted to builders Perera and Marikkar - all this accomplished under
the directive of Sir Henry William Gregory, then the Governor of Sri
Lanka (or Ceylon, as it was then known).
The Colombo National Museum comprises galleries on both the primary
and secondary kingdoms in the history of the country, displays about the
history of the masks, puppetry and costumes in the artistic theatre
traditions of Sri Lanka, an extensive exhibition and history of musical
instruments, coins of Sri Lanka, household objects, exquisite and
intricate antique furniture and a skeleton of a blue whale, which is
well over a century old.
Among these, the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Transitional (Post-Polonnaruwa/Pre-Kandy)
and Kandy galleries are some of the most important displays, containing
artifacts from Sri Lanka's most glorious kingdoms.

The state of the Avalokiteswara at the Anuradhapura Gallery, with
the statue, Tara Devi in the background. |

The newly refurbished Kandy Gallery. |
The year 2004 marked the beginning of several positive changes at the
Colombo National Museum.HSBC, together with the Department of National
Museums, undertook a project to completely revamp the Anuradhapura,
Polonnaruwa Post-Polonnaruwa/Pre-Kandy and Kandy galleries.
While the two former galleries were completed early in 2005, the
latter two were opened to the general public in November 2005.
The bank has also started work on the stone gallery, which is
expected to be open to the public later this year.
With work carried out by a capable team of experts, led by the highly
renowned Sri Lankan historian, Prof. Leelananda Prematilleke, the
revamped galleries have been designed to give visitors a more
inspirational understanding of the era.
Trilingual information panels and neatly arranged artefacts ensure
that the visitor is able to experience the glory of the civilisation
comprehensively.
The new display systems and state-of-the-art lighting systems greatly
enhance the beauty of the artifacts, and the galleries are innovative
and visitor-friendly in layout, and sophisticated in appearance.
The number of visitors to the Museum has increased significantly
since the four galleries were opened to the general public, and there
has been positive feedback from many individuals applauding the venture
to bring to life a glorious past that was fading into oblivion.
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