Colombo
• Colombo National Museum


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.
It is the oldest and largest Museum in the country, established in 1877. Housed in a fine colonial-era building, the museum is famous for collection of ancient royal regalia, Sinhalese artwork (carvings, sculptures et al.), antique furniture, china, and Ola manuscripts. The museum contains: more than 4.000 palm leaf manuscripts, ancient and medieval jewelry, rare collection of traditional masks, wood and ivory carvings, temple frescoes, ceramics objects including VOC plates of the Dutch period,stone sculpture and lithic inscriptions.
The museum is open daily from 09.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs except on Fridays

• Dutch period Museum
The Colombo Dutch Museum is a museum that covers the history of the Dutch colonial rule in Sri Lanka.
The old Dutch House on Prince Street, Pettah (Colombo 11) which houses this museum was built in the latter part of the 17th century and was The museum is housed in the old `Dutch House' on Prince Street, Pettah, which was earlier the residence of Count August Carl Van Ranzow. Today, the sides of the street are choc-a-block with boutiques and stores of Moor traders. The restoration of this building commenced in 1977 and was completed in 1981. This museum was opened to the public in 1982. This building embodies the unique architectural features of a colonial Dutch town house. The museum while displaying the Dutch legacy with the artifacts viz. furniture, ceramics, coins, arms etc. portrays facets of contemporary life and culture.
Open daily except Fridays from 0900 Hrs. to - 1700 Hrs.

• Bandaranaike Museum


The history of Sri Lanka, Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike or S.W. R.D. Bandaranaike was a Prime Minister with distinction. Though, when he occupied the chair, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon. To acquaint the people of the country with the life and times of the great man Bandaranaike Museum was created. A visit here will make you understand one of Sri Lanka’s best prime ministers even better. S.W.R.D Bandaranaike was the husband of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the first woman prime minister in the world. She became the prime minister of the country three times. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was the father of Chandrika Kumaratunga. She also has a distinguished political career and occupied the highest chair in the country, that of President.
Bandaranaike was born in Colombo, in the upper echelons of the society and was a practicing Christian, though much later he said that he was a Buddhist. Many consider this to be a political strategy rather than adoption of Buddhism as his religion. He was sent to England to train as a lawyer. Returning back to the country he joined United National Party as an ordinary member. Later he came to hold a cabinet position. Bandaranaike in 1951 took out his faction, the Sinhala Maha Sabha, out of United National Party. He established the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to fulfill his political ambitions.


• The Colombo Maritime Museum
The Colombo Maritime Museum is at the Colombo port, maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.The museum is located in the old Dutch prison built in 1676 which is the only surviving Dutch period building at the Colombo Port premises at the present day which has been refurbished and renovated to accommodate the artifacts at cost of Rs 25 million as a result of the concept first presented by the late Minister of Port Development and Shipping, M. H. M. Ashraff. The main entrance to this museum is from the Chaithya Road.
Various items of historical significance relating to the Ports of the country, its maritime industry and the ocean around Sri Lanka are on display. Sculptures of King Vijeya and other significant characters are also on display along with model exhibits of ships.
There are also art works, and models symbolizing the systematic development of the Colombo Port and equipment used in Port operation during various times.

Galle

• The National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Galle, Sri Lanka is located within the Galle fort. This museum specializes in the fauna and flora of the sea. Artifacts consist of underwater artifacts and scaled-down models of whales and fish.
Other exhibits include life-size dioramas of the traditional methods of fishing and the "walk into the sea" diorama, showing the natural coral beds, sea grass beds and deep sea fish. One of the final exhibits of the museum is a display of the causes of sea pollution, coast erosion, and the methods used to combat these problems.
The museum suffered flood damage from the 2004 Asian tsunami.
The Dutch warehouse building at the fort, built in 1717, is currently being renovated and is planned to house the museum at the end of 2008

Kandy

• Kandy National Museum
The National Museum of Kandy in Kandy, Sri Lanka is located next to the Temple of the Tooth in part of the former Royal Palace of Kandy. The primary exhibits are housed in the Palle Vahala building which was house to the King's harem. A secondary exhibit location is found in the main palace building. Its is maintained by the Department of National Museum of the central government.
The Palle Vahala was used as a depository for historic artifacts made by the Kandy Art Association which was established in 1832 and artisans of Matale. The museum was opened to the public in 1942.
Artifacts consist of weapons, jewelry, tools and other artifacts from the Kandian era and post British Colonial era. On the grounds of the museum is a statue of Sir Henry Ward a former Governor of Ceylon, which was originally found in front of the Queen's Hotel.

•Tea Museum in Kandy
The Museum which is located in Hantane in Kandy, in the central region of Sri Lanka, has a fascinating collection of age-old machinery, and the like. It traces the 130-years history of the first tea plant brought to Sri Lanka by the English Gentleman, James Tylor. The Tea Museum, with an attractive wooden interior has a library too. The pictures exhibited here include several of Taylor and his tea estates then. Today visitors can see the machinery as good as new , and they could also they could also purchase some of the finest Ceylon teas that are in the market .The oldest known existing packet of Ceylon tea, which is 56 years and still in its original packing ,is also on display .
The Ceylon Tea Museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 8.15 a.m to 4.45 p.m with a lunch break from 12.15 p.m. to 1.00p.m. It is open half-day on Sunday and closed on Monday, Public and Mercantile Holidays. Tickets are priced at Rs.250/- per foreigner.Tel(94 70)070 803204.

Ratnapura

• Gems Museum


The National Museum of Ratnapura is housed in the famous Ehelapola Walawwa on the Colombo Road in Ratnapura. The museum displays its collections of pre historic objects and fossile of Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus and Elephant collected from the gem pits of Ratnapura District. Other exhibits include jewelry, textiles, flags, gems and semi-precious stones. Some of the artifacts displayed here, reflect the unique art & culture of the Sabaragamuwa Province. The museum is open daily from 09.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs except on Fridays.

Anuradhapura
Folk Museum
Folk Museum in Anuradhapura, contains a collection of historical finds depicting the rural life in the North-Central Province.

Reading this article made me want to discover Sri Lanka's history even more. Thank you.

wow! the article is very informative