The museums of Kerala resonate with the splendor time which is passed that was stuffed with interesting art forms. There are many museums in Kerala which take us altogether to the time which has gone by.
The museums in Kerala are surrounded all over the state that includes Napier Museum, Kuthiramalika Museum, Hill Palace Museum and Pazhassiraja Museum. The visit to museums of Kerala is worth not only a visit but a journey to the past which was promising and rich.
The museums are located all over Kerala and one can travel to these museums by Rail or Road. The major cities or easily accessible places are Kochi and Trivandrum. The best time to visit and enjoy is from August to March where lots of people to know the bygone time and study the life which was lived earlier.
Ambalavayal Museum
- Location: To South of Sulthan Bathery, 12 kms away, Kerala
- Major Attraction: The 2nd century rare Artefacts
- Exhibits: Ancient Hunting Equipments and Clay Sculptures
- Importance: Among the best Heritage Museums of Kerala.
Ambalavayal Heritage Museum is located on the south of Sulthan Bathery just 12 kms away in Kerala. The important attraction there is the artifacts which are very rare and are from the 2nd century. The museum showcases the Ancient Hunting Equipments and Clay sculptures. This is one of the best and famous heritage museums in Kerala and many People from distance places come to visit this place.
Ambalavayal Heritage Museum is among the best museums in Kerala which has a huge collection of articles that are from the 2nd century AD. The Museum is situated near Ambukuthi hill region which has belongings and artifacts from different tribes of land.
The Museum showcases the collection of 2nd century artifacts that include ancient hunting equipments like arrows and bows, stone weapons and other things and clay sculptures. The things which are showcased in the museum are the best example of the prosperous civilization in this region in the earlier period.
Kuthiramalika Museum
- Location: Close to the Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram.
- Built by: Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balaram Varma
- Exhibits: Paintings and many things of Interest of Royal Family
- Time to Visit: 30 am to 12.30 am and 3.00 pm to 5.30 pm.
Kuthiramalika Palace Museum is located close to the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. This beautiful building is built by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balaram Varma. The museum houses a great collection of Paintings and other items or things of interests of the Royal Family.
The Best example of Kerala Architecture can be viewed in the museum. The Palace is a heritage with its incredible architectural designs and brilliant carvings. The Museum houses a great collection of exhibits that represents the erstwhile state of Travancore.
The Maharaja of Travancore, Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma built this great palace. The museum is ornamented with some of the enormous collections of the royal family and the incredible paintings.
The architectural style of Kerala is reflected from the palace which is beautifully built with its marble and granite cables, white washed walls that support that wooden gable and the slided windows under the red-tiled windows.
There are around 16 rooms in the palace which has all the ceilings carved differently in sandalwood. It is said by the local people that it took around 4 years and 5,000 workers to complete the construction of this palace.
Timings to Visit
The Museum is open on all days for the visit of the tourists who come from far and distance places. The tourists can visit this museum between 8.30 am to 12.30 am and 3.00 pm to 5.30 pm.
Entry Fees
The fee to enter the building is nominal which is Rs. 10/- per person and Photography is not allowed inside the building.
Pazhassiraja Museum
- Location: In East Hill, 5 kms away from Kozhikode, Kerala
- Major Attraction: Ancient Murals
- Display’s: Pazhassiraja Kerala Varma
- Under the Observation of: Archaeological Survey of Kerala
Pazhassiraja Museum is located at East Hill and is 5 kms away from Kozhikode in Kerala. It has absolute resources trove for connoisseurs and historians of art. The main attraction here is the Ancient Murals inside the museum. The Museum lies under the observation of Archaeological Survey of Kerala. Art gallery and museum is named in memory of the well-known Pazhassiraja Kerala Verma.
The Art gallery and Museum is named after a king from a Royal family of Kottayam and was names as great Pazhassiraja Kerala Varma of the Padinjare Kovilakom.
The Pazhassiraja is famous in the books of Indian history as in 1700 he was against the British East India Company which was popular as ‘Pazhassi Revolt’ around the second half of the century.
People of Kerala used to call Pazhassiraja as ‘Lion of Kerala’ and he was also the person who introduced guerilla warfare in the hilly region of Wayanad to oppose the unbearable British Colonialism. He was died during an encounter by British on November 30th 1805 AD
The Exhibits in Museum
There is a good collection of ancient murals, megalithic relics like diamond cysts, umbrella stones and temple miniature and antique coins and bronzes. Close to the Museum there is an Art gallery situated which has a beautiful painting collection by Raja Raja Varma and Raja Ravi Varma.
The Museum is very famous with people in Kerala and if you ask anyone then they can guide you to this place. Many people and tourists come to visit this place where they experience the bygone time and they get an opportunity to view the things which were used earlier. The knowledge they get from the Museum want to share it with their children and friends. The things in the Museum and in art gallery are preserved properly so that everyone who comes here can live the time which is gone by.
Hill Palace Museum
- Location: To South of Sulthan Bathery, 12 kms away.
- Major Attraction: The 2nd century rare Artefacts
- Exhibits: Ancient Hunting Equipments and Clay Sculptures
- Importance: Among the best Heritage Museums of Kerala.
Hill Palace Museum is located 10 kms away from Kochi in Kerala. It is said and found that the palace turned Museum is built in 1865 AD. The main attraction is that it is the first Heritage Museum in Kerala.
The Museum is open on all days except Monday between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. customary Architectural manner is used to build this building. The museum is widely spread over the terraced land area of fifty two acres.
There is a rich collection of scarce medicinal plants in the palace; a developed ethno-graphic deposit and Kerala’s first heritage museum is the main attraction here.
Display in the Museum
Inside the palace there are thirteen galleries where there are 19th century oil paintings, sculptures in plaster and stone, Murals, inscriptions, manuscripts, belongings, coins of royal family of Kochi, Paliath Achan gallery and also the furniture which also includes the King’s chair which is called as ‘Simhasana’.
There are more than 200 antique things of ceramic vases and pottery from Japan, China, Kudakkallu, ‘thoppikkallu’ tomb stone, ‘menhirs’ hood stone in granite memorials and Literate, rock cut yields that belongs to the beginning of iron period, stilted shrine models.
The amazing collection of objects of splash shed models from Harappa and Mohenjo-daro will take you to North India in Indus valley society. The top part has a collection of modern art.
The heritage is extended over the huge area where the facility for rest of leisure activities is also provided. Tourists can also enjoy the Horse-riding facility & Deer Park in the surrounding of the royal palace.
Timings to Visit
Tourists can visit the museum on all day except Mondays and the timings to visit would be between 09.00 am – 05.00 pm.
Museum Of Kerala History
- Location: Close to the Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram.
- Built by: Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balaram Varma
- Exhibits: Paintings and many things of Interest of Royal Family
- Time to Visit: 8.30 am to 12.30 am and 3.00 pm to 5.30 pm.
Museum of Kerala History is situated near Ernakulam which is around 10 kms away in Kerala. Many people including local and from distant places come here to see the Sound and Light Show which is a major attraction there. The main focus is on the Makers of Kerala’s History.
The Museum of Kerala is on the road to Aluva which is at Edapally which is a best place where one can have a glance at the History of Kerala. There is a statue who greets the tourists who come here. The statue is of Parasurama who was a sage and is said that he was the one who shaped Kerala.
There are huge figures which showcase the main landmarks from Neolithic age of its civilization to the Modern era. The outstanding narration of history of Kerala is done which is around 2000 years old.
The Museum has a show which is of around an hour which has sound and light on the huge sculptures of concrete and the makes of Kerala which is shown with the commentary and background Music which gives a glimpse of diversity and vastness of the history of Kerala. The language use for commentary is Malayalam and also in English. In the past 200 years there are 87 figures of people who made the culture and history of Kerala which is presented here in the sound and light Tableaus.
Timings to Visit
The show can be seen on different timings like 10.00, 10.30, 11.00, 11.30, 12.00, 14.00, 14.30, 15.00, 15.30, 16.00 hrs and on Monday and on public holidays the museum is closed.
Entry Fees
There is a minimal fee to enter the museum which is different for children and adults. They charge Rs. 5/- for an adult person and Rs.2/- for a child.
Priyadarshini Planetarium
- Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Importance: Horizontal Planetaria and most sophisticated in India
- Other attraction: Centrally Air-Conditioned Sky Theatre
- Timings for the Show: 10.30 am, 12.00 pm, 15.00 pm, and 17.00 pm.
Priyadarshini Planetarium is located in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The most important part of this place is that it is the most sophisticated and Horizontal Planetaria in India. The main feature of this planetarium is that it is centrally Air-Conditioned Sky Theatre. The timings for the show that is run in the planetarium are 10.30 am, 12.00 pm, 15.00 pm, and 17.00 pm.
The versatile and most stylish Planetaria found in India is Priyadarshini Planetarium. This amazing planetarium building has a centrally air conditioned Sky theatre of planetarium, Workshops, conference, Sound-Studio, and many other things. This has a great capacity for seating which is around 184 seats and is popular as one of the best horizontal arched Planetaria.
The show organized by Planetarium is on “Man and The Universe” which deals with the derivation and various stages of development of astronomy.
“Myriad Suns” deal with the death and birth of stars, neutron stars, black holes, galaxies, star cluster, supernova and nebula.
The Priyadarshani Planetarium is very famous with people in Kerala. Many people and tourists come to visit this place with their family and friends. The knowledge they get from this Planetarium want to share it with their children and friends. The things in the Planetarium are kept in a very good condition and are well maintained.
Timings of the Show
People can visit this place and enjoy it from 10.30 am, 12.00 pm, 3.00 pm, and 5.00 pm.
Entrance fees
There is a minimum entry fee to visit this place which has to be paid by each and every person who enters this place. The fee for an adult person is Rs. 10/- and for a child from 3-10 years is Rs. 5/-. Children’s more than 10 years of age have to pay Rs. 10/-
Krishna Menon Museum
- Location: Close to the Pazhassi Raja Museum, Kozhikode (Calicut).
- Known after: Late V.K. Krishna Menon
- Exhibits: Paintings by Ravi Verma and Raja Verma
- Major attraction: Memorabilia of Late V.K. Krishna Menon
Krishna Menon Museum is situated close to the Pazhassi Raja Museum, Kozhikode (Calicut). The Museum is named after the late V.K. Krishna Menon. The Museum has a great set of paintings by Ravi Verma and raja Verma.
The museum has an amazing set of Paintings done by Raja Ravi Varma and Raja Raja Verma. There is a special section dedicated to the Memorabilia of the late V.K.Krishna Menon who was a national leader and former Indian Defence Minister.
The section which is dedicated to V.K Krishnan Menon holds a great collection of his personal stuff and souvenirs gifted by the world leader.
Napier Museum
- Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Popularly Known: Government Art Museum
- Designed by: Chisholm, an English Architect
- Exhibits: Huge Statues of Kathakali Dancers
Napier Museum is located in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. It is also popular among the people and is famous as Government Art Museum. The Museum is beautifully designed by Chisholm who was an English Architecture. The Museum is full of huge Kathakali Dancer’s statues.
Napier Museum is beautifully designed and has amazing architecture which combines the traditional style of Kerala with Mughal and Chinese influence which can be clearly seen in the architecture.
The Museum is situated in a quirky building which is from 1880 where there is an outstanding collection of historical, bronze and modern ornaments, ivory carvings, temple carts and huge Kathakali dancer’s statues decorated in complete attires. The museum has an indo-Sarcenet structure for its interiors which is an interesting as the external that is decorated with blue and pink bands flashing with cherry red and yellow stripes, banana yellow arches. The balconies of the museum are interpreting richly carved and all this is connected together with the white and mock friezes & red lattice work. This museum is fully air conditioned and it is natural.
Near to this museum there is a Natural History Museum located which was opened first in1857 and has a great collection of animal skeletons, stuffed birds and animals and ethnographic pieces.
Timing for the Visit
People can visit this Museum from any day between Tuesday to Sunday and the timing for the same is from 10.00 a.m. – 0 4.45 p.m.
Science And Technology Museum
- Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Other attraction: The Observatory
- Timings: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm
Science & Technology Museum is situated in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala which was made with the main goal of setting up of galleries with animated or working and participatory type of exhibits, on all disciplines of Science and Technology. The Tourists can visit this Museum any time between 10.00 am to 5.00 pm and it is open on all days except Monday. The other attraction here is the Observatory.
The things which are displayed in the Museum are all related to the Science, electronics and technology. The Museum attracts most of the students of high school who keep interest in subjects like science. The Museum has a daily show in the noon specially related to science that is of 40 minutes and it is in English.
The Observatory is located on one of the uppermost point of the city which is close to the complex of the Museum and is just in front of Kanakakkunnu palace. Tourists who come here do enjoy the picturesque view of the city as it is located at an elevation of 60 m above sea level.
This is one of the famous Museums in the city and many children like this very much. Many schools take the children’s to visit this place as they can get an interest in the subject and can learn many things. Many of the parents come along with the parents to let their children get knowledge of the Museum and Subjects which are their in the Museum.
Timings for the Museum
Tourists can visit this place on any day except Monday and it open in the morning at 10.00 am and closes by 5.00 pm.
Shree Chitra Art Gallery
- Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Attractions: chariot and a huge painting
- Timings: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm
- Entry fee:10 per person
Shree Chitra Art Gallery is located in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala which houses a great set of Paintings by Raja Ravi Verma, Nicholas Roerich and Svetlova and the exquisite work of Rajput, Tanjore and Mughal schools of art in India. Apart from this, the Museum also houses an amazing set of Paintings from China, Tibet, Japan and Bali. Tourists can visit this Museum all days except Wednesday and morning of Friday. The timing to visit this museum for the tourists is from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.
