Archaeology National Museum Kotte

Archaeology National Museum

Secure Parking

Watching Time : 30 Minutes

Amazing Experience

Situated in Ethul Kotte, in the heart of our capital, is the E.W. Perera Memorial Kotte Archaeological Museum on land donated by one  of Kotte’s greatest sons, E.W. Perera (1875-1953), barrister, elected state counsellor and freedom fighter, also known as ‘The Lion of Kotte.’ It contains a variety of artefacts recovered from Kotte and elsewhere, including various regional flags, local costumes, weapons, pottery, chinaware and a collection of coins and other relics.

An interesting collection of miniature statues is also on display. An ivory Samadhi Buddha, a wooden standing Buddha found near the Kotte Dalada Medura, a limestone Samadhi Buddha, a metal kneeling figure, a female figurine and a bell with a carved handle in the shape of a human figure from the ancient Mahasen Devmedura.

From the later era came coins and coin moulds, rings from Uraketa wells, clay pipes, tiles and strands of hair from some Portuguese individuals who were buried in Kotte, silver wine cup, metal chunam pouches, silver bangles, bead chains, hair ornaments out of turtle shell, a few firearms including a particularly long double-barrelled pistol. Colonial-period clothes are also on display. Long-sleeved white jackets embellished with lace and adorned with floral motifs and many other items of clothing were influenced by the European colonial forces from Portugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britain.

Opening Hours

Sunday : 8.00 AM – 4.00 PM
Monday : 8.00 AM – 4.00 PM
Tuesday : 8.00 AM – 4.00 PM
Wednesday : 8.00 AM – 4.00 PM
Thursday : 8.00 AM – 4.00 PM
Friday : 8.00 AM – 4.00 PM
Saturday : 8.00 AM – 4.00 PM

Tour Map

Gallery

  • සමාජ, දේශපාලනික, ආර්ථිකමය සහ ඓතිහාසිකමය වෂයෙන් ඉතා හොඳ, දේශීය හා විදේශීය ජනයාට. අපගේ රටේ අපේ උරුමයන් පිළිබඳ මනා අවබෝධයක් සහ එකවර රසවිදිය හැකි වේ. ඒ සදහා විශේෂයෙන්ම පුහුණු වූ... read more

    Tiwanka Jayasinghe Avatar Tiwanka Jayasinghe

    This museum is located in the house of late Mr. E W Perera. The museum has a collection of various artefacts ranging from flags, clothes, coins, pistols, swords, pottery, jewellery, statues,... read more

    Thushini Goonewardene Avatar Thushini Goonewardene
  • කෝට්ටේ රාජධානිය සම්බන්ධව ගොඩක් දේවල් නොමිලේම දැනගත්තා. ටිකට් එකක් වත් ගන්න අවශ්‍ය නැහැ. පොඩි දරුවන්ට ගොඩාක් වැදගත්.

    Chameera Kasun Avatar Chameera Kasun

    පිටකෝට්ටේ බංගලා හංදියේ මෙම කෞතුකාගාරය පිහිටා ඇත. කෝට්ටේ විසූ ප්‍රබල ප්‍රකට නීතිඥයෙකු හා සමාජ සේවකයෙකු වූ ඊ.ඩබ්: පෙරේරා මැතිතුමාගේ පෞද්ගලික නිවස වූ මෙම ගොඩනැගිල්ල එතුමා විසින් පසු කළෙකදී පුරාවිද්‍යා දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවට... read more

    TC Bandarawela Avatar TC Bandarawela
  • Nice place

    Madura Perera Avatar Madura Perera

    Very informative. Good place to be.

    Ravi Karunasiri Avatar Ravi Karunasiri
  • I think everyone in the area must visit this place.

    Kushan Thilanga Avatar Kushan Thilanga

    A very attractive place for people who seek information. A good collection of artifacts. It’s free and worthwhile visiting. There is a bookshop where you can buy many books published... read more

    Shayan Appuhamy Avatar Shayan Appuhamy
  • Not crowded at all. Good place to study old Sri lankan flags and guns. There is a small archaeology library and book shop.

    Ashan Dimal Avatar Ashan Dimal

    Small place but worth the visit. Can part the vehicle inside. Entrance free.

    Prageeth Gunasekara Avatar Prageeth Gunasekara
  • Most under visited place in Kotte. It's all about history

    Anjula Ranasinghe Avatar Anjula Ranasinghe

    Very plain exhibition, but still worth visiting. Not allowed to take pictures. As I am a foreigner any guidance wasn't given, but I had to write my name in a... read more

    Natalya de Silva Avatar Natalya de Silva
  • Lassana

    Disna disna Avatar Disna disna

    Sacred Kotte kingdom

    Irshad Izmath Avatar Irshad Izmath
  • Good

    ruchira pramod Avatar ruchira pramod

    Few artefacts are available. If you like history it would be fun. No photos allowed unless you have prior approval. Entrance free.

    Nisal Perera Avatar Nisal Perera
  • Good to have something of the kotte kingdom

    Milinda Huruggamuwa Avatar Milinda Huruggamuwa

    Best place to enjoy the history of the kingdom of Kotte

    Adeesha Dulanjana Avatar Adeesha Dulanjana
  • ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ශ්‍රී ජයවර්ධනපුර කෝට්ටේ පිහිටුවා ඇති පුරාවිද්‍යා කෞතුකාගාරය වේ. එය බොරැල්ල-පිටකෝට්ටේ ප්‍රධාන මාර්ගයේ, ඇතුල් කෝට්ටේ පිහිටි බංගලා හන්දිය ආසන්නයේ පිහිටා ඇත. කෞතුකාගාරය, බස්නාහිර පළාතේ කලාපීය පුරාවිද්‍යා කෞතුකාගාරය ලෙස, පුරාවිද්‍යා... read more

    Tharuka Nethsarani Avatar Tharuka Nethsarani

    👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

    Ananda Weerasinghe Avatar Ananda Weerasinghe