National Museum of Colombo

The National Museum of Colombo is the best single place in the city to get a grounding in Sri Lankan history before travelling further. It opened on 1 January 1877 as the Colombo Museum, founded by the British governor Sir William Henry Gregory, and it stands in Cinnamon Gardens in an Italian-style building whose plans were prepared by the government architect James George Smither. Wapchi Marikar, who built it, asked that it close on Fridays, a practice that was later relaxed.

The headline exhibits are the regalia of the Kandyan monarchs, including the crown jewels and the throne of the last King of Kandy, which were returned to Sri Lanka by the British government. These pieces connect directly to sights elsewhere on the island, so they are worth seeing if a trip to Kandy is in your plans. The museum also displays a copy of the bronze statue of Tara, whose original is in the British Museum in London.

The museum library dates from the same year as the museum and absorbed the older Government Oriental Library of 1870. It became Sri Lanka's first legal deposit library and has received copies of local publications since 1885, which makes it an important research collection as well as a tourist sight. The early Friday closure was relaxed over time so that the museum opened on all days except public holidays, and when the Kandyan throne was first put on show the museum opened on the intervening Fridays with the consent of Sir Razik Fareed.

The museum is run by the Department of National Museums, whose published address is Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7, and whose phone lines can confirm current opening days before you go. Plan on two to three hours if you want to see the main galleries properly, and arrive earlier in the day when the rooms are cooler and quieter. The grounds are pleasant for a short walk after your visit.

The museum is only a few hundred metres south of Viharamahadevi Park, so it pairs naturally with a stroll past the park's fountains and the Town Hall. Independence Memorial Hall is a short ride further south, and Gangaramaya Temple is close by, making this part of Colombo the easiest area for a full day of sightseeing.