Museums in Kerala
The history of Kerala's museums began in the mid-19th century. In the 1850s, the King of Travancore, Utram Thirunal Marthanda Varma, took the initiative to start a museum near the city. This museum was started as a place to display art objects from the palace collection. It also had the cooperation of some Britishers. Since the number of visitors was low in the beginning, a zoo was also started in the museum premises. Entry to this place was free. The museum was renovated in 1879. The museum, built in Indo-European architecture that attracts everyone, was named 'Napier Museum' as a tribute to Lord Napier. Historical documents and models of Kerala houses were initially displayed there. Around the same time, efforts were made to establish museums in Thrissur and Kochi. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Travancore State Archaeology Department was formed and systematic museum initiatives began.
1. Museum Complex - Thiruvananthapuram
Napier Museum, Kazhcha Bungalow, Arts Gallery, Chitralayam Palace Museum, and Natural History Museum are five attractions. All of these are located in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram city. Napier Museum, the first museum in Kerala, has a wide range of exhibits including Kathakali figures, bronze statues, stone sculptures, wooden carvings, and ivory sculptures.
2. Kuthiramalika Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
Oil paintings of Travancore kings, Kathakali seals, ornaments, musical instruments, etc., and a music tree that emits sounds are some of the sights here.
3. Gandhi Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
The Gandhi Museum, a small museum commemorating Gandhi, is located in Thiruvananthapuram.
4. Chacha Nehru Children's Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
Chacha Nehru Children's Museum, a small museum with puppets, paintings, and rides, is located in Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram.
5. Kowdiar Palace Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
The Kowdiar Palace Museum, which commemorates the history of the Travancore dynasty, is one of the small museums in Thiruvananthapuram.
6. Padmanabhapuram Palace Complex - Thakkala, Tamil Nadu
Apart from numerous wooden carvings, horses, 90 different lotuses, Onavillu, granite beds, Chinese jars, and many murals including those of the Sri Rama Pattabhishekam, one can also see them here. The Kubera statue and ancient kitchen utensils are the main exhibits here.
7. Koyikkal Palace Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
Palm leaves, oil jars, models of the art of weaving are some of the attractions of the Folklore Museum at Koyikkal Palace. It also has a priceless collection of coins from the Mauryan period, Dutch-British-Roman coins, Chera-Chola coins, and the Travancore royal seal.
8. Banking Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
The Banking Museum is a museum that describes the history and growth of banks. This museum, named Footprints - Banking History Museum is located in Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram.
9. Agricultural - Crop Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
The Agricultural and Crop Museum is a museum filled with a wide range of exhibits that showcase the rich agricultural heritage of Kerala. The museum is located in Venpalavattom, a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram.
10. Soil Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
The first soil museum in Kerala was opened in Parottukonam, Thiruvananthapuram district, in 2014. The museum is attached to the Central Soil Testing Lab.
11. Kerala State Science and Technology Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
The Kerala State Science and Technology Museum, a museum showcasing scientific achievements and curiosities, is located in Thiruvananthapuram. It houses a burglar alarm, Indian stamps, Priyadarshini Planetarium and a mobile science exhibition centre.
12. Tsunami Museum - Kollam
The Tsunami Museum was established following the tsunami that hit Kerala on December 26, 2004. This museum, built with information and images of the tsunami, is located in Alappad, Kollam district, which was the most affected by the tsunami.
13. Kottarakkara Thampuran Memorial Classical Arts Museum - Kollam
Kottarakkara Thampuran Memorial Classical Arts Museum is located in Kottarakkara, Kollam district. This museum was established in 1983 in memory of Kottarakkara Thampuran, the king of Kottarakkara and the inventor of Ramanattam. This two-storey museum has eight galleries. Costumes and ornaments of various classical dance forms are kept here.
14. Police Museum - Kollam
India's first police museum is located near Kollam railway station. The history and development of our police force can be seen here. This institution, known as the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Museum, was started in 1999. The history of the force, which was modernized during the time of Marthanda Varma, fingerprint technology, dog squad, various weapons, etc. are on display.
15. Bay Island Driftwood Museum - Kottayam
The first museum of its kind in India is located in Kumarakom, Kottayam district. The treasure trove here consists of centuries-old roots and sculptures made from roots.
16. Golden Jubilee Museum - Kottayam
The Golden Jubilee Museum, which tells the history of the Christian Church of India, is located in Pala, Kottayam district.
17. Vaikom Satyagraha Museum - Kottayam
The Vaikom Satyagraha Museum is a museum that preserves the memories of the Vaikom Satyagraha, which became a storm against untouchability. Photos, historical documents, and various sculptures that evoke memories of the Satyagraha are displayed here.
18. Kerala Science City - Kottayam
Kerala Science City is a science and technology park located in Kuravilangad, Kottayam district. It has a wide range of facilities including a state-of-the-art planetarium, evolution park, 3-D theater, museums, robotics gallery, nanotechnology park, and walkway museum.
19. Elephant Museum - Pathanamthitta
The Elephant Museum is located in Konni, Pathanamthitta. The museum houses an elephant skeleton and equipment used in elephant husbandry.
20. Nattarivu Museum - Pathanamthitta
The Nattarivu Museum is located in Mannadi, Pathanamthitta district. This area is famous for its connection with Veluthampi Dalawa, the Diwan of Travancore.
21. Krishnapuram Palace Museum - Alappuzha
The exhibits here include jars from the megalithic period, bronze statues, swords, measuring rods, bullets, the Gajendramoksha mural, and a Bible in Sanskrit.
22. Thakazhi Museum - Alappuzha
The house of Jnanpith awardee Thakazhi Sivashankara Pillai is now a museum. It is located near Karumadi in Alappuzha district. The awards, prizes, certificates received by Thakazhi, the bed, chair, typewriter, clothes used by him, etc. are all on display here.
23. Ravi Karunakaran Museum - Alappuzha
This is a beautiful museum opened in Alappuzha town in 2006 in memory of Ravi Karunakaran, a famous coir merchant in Alappuzha. The main attractions here are the valuable objects, a collection of world-class crystals, and numerous sculptures made of elephant tusks.
24. Cartoon Museum - Alappuzha
The Cartoon Museum, which opened in Krishnapuram near Kayamkulam in 2014, is India's first cartoon museum. Named after the famous cartoonist R. Shankar, this museum houses a large collection of his cartoons.
25. Coir Museum - Alappuzha
The International Coir Museum is located in Alappuzha, which is famous for its coir. The history of coir products is exhibited here. The processing and separation of coir fibers, the use of masons, and various coir products can be seen here.
26. Tata Tea Museum - Idukki
The Tata Tea Museum is located in the Nallathanni Estate in Munnar. The museum, along with explaining various aspects of tea production, also has various attractions. The main attractions include a train engine that ran in Munnar in the 1900s, a granite sundial, and a power generator used on the estate in the 20th century.
27. Tribal Museum - Idukki
The Tribal Museum is a museum that describes the history of the tribal people of Kerala, their lifestyle, agriculture, culture, marriage customs, etc. The museum also houses the hunting equipment of the tribals and various medicines used by them.
28. Hill Palace Museum - Ernakulam
The Hill Palace Museum consists of 15 galleries, a deer park, and a garden. It houses a priceless collection of furniture, weapons, jewelry, other items, paintings, and coin collections used by the royal family.
29. Mattancherry Palace Museum - Ernakulam
There is a priceless collection of the Cochin Dynasty's crown, turbans, coins, portraits of kings, Dutch paintings, and Ramayana mural paintings.
30. International Wax Museum - Ernakulam
The 'International Wax Museum' is located in Oberon Mall, Kochi. The wax museum in Kochi has wax statues of many famous people like Mahatma Gandhi, E.K. Nayanar, Anna Hazare, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
31. Marine Biodiversity Museum - Ernakulam
The Marine Biodiversity Museum, located at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Kochi, is a great place to see the biodiversity of the deep sea. You can see marine algae, grass, sponges, fish, seashells, mussels, shrimps, and much more here.
32. Folklore Museum - Ernakulam
The Folklore Museum in Thevara, Kochi is a museum that brings together our lost local knowledge. It is built in red stone in the Travancore style. The museum houses traditional musical instruments, lamps, wooden sculptures, various dance forms and their costumes of Kerala.
33. Aviation Museum - Ernakulam
The Kerala Aviation Museum is located at the Kochi International Airport. The museum houses a model of the Wright Brothers' plane, a model of the Kitty Hawk, an early aircraft, and a Polish jet used to train Air Force pilots.
34. Indo-Portuguese Museum - Ernakulam
The exhibits here include teakwood altars, candle stands, traditional locks, and 19th-century treasures.
35. Maritime Museum - Ernakulam
The Maritime Museum of the Southern Naval Command showcases the history of the Navy from its early days to its future prospects. The museum is located at the Naval Base in Kochi.
36. INS Dronacharya Museum - Ernakulam
INS Dronacharya Museum is a maritime museum in Fort Kochi. A few warships have been converted into museums here. The museum has pictures and descriptions that describe the history and achievements of the Navy.
37. Kerala History Museum - Ernakulam
The Kerala History Museum is located in Edappally. The exhibits here include audio-visuals that remind us of the history of Kerala, statues of important figures in Kerala history, paintings and dolls collected from different parts of the world.
38. Spice Museum - Ernakulam
Kerala's first 'Spice Museum' is located on Willington Island in Kochi. Here you can learn about 30 types of spices, their cultivation and products.
39. Sakthan Thampuran Museum - Thrissur
You can also see a bronze sculpture gallery, an archeological gallery, a coin gallery, Iron Age relics, various sculptures and documents about Tipu Sultan here.
40. State Museum and Zoo - Thrissur
The State Museum and Exhibition Hall is located in Chembukavu in Thrissur district. The Natural History Museum here exhibits specimens and stuffed animals. In addition, various sculptures, ancient stones, and an elephant skeleton are also major attractions. An art museum is also located near the State Museum. Various types of lamps, sculptures made of ivory, thamboolam box, etc. are among the collections here.
41. Photography Museum - Thrissur
The first museum in India to describe the history, science and art of photography. It is located in a place called Kodali near Thrissur. The name of this museum is 'PhotoMuse'. Here you can see objects that indicate the heritage and history of photography, rare photos, and various cameras and lenses.
42. Muziris Heritage Museums - Thrissur
Muziris Exploration Centre, a town near Kodungalur, is a place where excavations are being carried out in search of Kerala's lost history. It houses 21 museums.
43. Paddy Museum - Palakkad
Kerala's Rice Museum operates at the Rice Research Center in Pattambi.
44. Teak Museum - Malappuram
There is only one teak museum in India. It is located in the forested area of Nilambur in Malappuram district. The beauty of this museum is its huge teak trees, sculptures and doors made of teak. There is a butterfly park and a medicinal garden adjacent to the museum.
45. Kunjali Marakkar Museum - Kozhikode
This museum is named after Kunjali Marakkar I, the commander of the Zamorin's fleet. The biography and weapons of Kunjali, who fought against the Portuguese army, are displayed here.
46. Business Museum - Kozhikode
The Business Museum, which preserves India's rich business history, is located on the campus of the Indian Institute of Management in Kozhikode. It houses the showrooms of India's business giants, including Tata, Godrej, Reliance, and Infosys.
47. Anthropological Museum - Kozhikode
The Anthropology Museum is a museum that collects information about the tribes and anthropology of Kerala. This museum is located in Chevayur in Kozhikode district. The exhibits in this museum include clothes made of wood, models showing the lifestyle of the tribals, paintings, ornaments, clothes, weapons, and utensils.
48. Pazhassi Raja Archaeological Museum Complex - Kozhikode
The Pazhassiraja Archaeological Museum Complex is located in East Hill in Kozhikode district. This complex houses the Archaeological Museum, Art Gallery, and Krishna Menon Museum. Many artifacts, weapons, hero stones, and archaeological records are displayed here.
49. Science Center - Kozhikode
It is located near Mavoor Road in Kozhikode district. It has a children's park and an astronomy club.
50. Arakkal Museum - Kannur
The collection here includes portraits of kings and queens from various eras, guns, weapons, and telephones.
51. Folklore Museum - Kannur
The collection here includes models and paintings of many folk art forms and styles, jars made of wood, and various types of jewelry.
52. Jail Museum - Kannur
The first prison museum in Kerala is located in Kannur Central Jail, the first central jail in Kerala. The exhibits here include prison uniforms, guns, etc. dating back to the British era.
Church museums
Such museums are built in the name of saints and other saints attached to churches. Museums that describe the history of churches also fall into this category. These are some of the important church museums in Kerala.
1. Alphonsa Museum - Kottayam
2. Chavara achan Museum - Kottayam & Ernakulam
3. Marthoma Museum - Ernakulam
4. Rani Maria Museum - Ernakulam
5. Synod Museum - Ernakulam
6. Mariam Thresia Museum - Thrissur
7. St. Evuprasiamma Museum - Thrissur
8. Bible Tower - Thrissur
9. Church History and Culture Museum - Thrissur
Temple Museums
Kerala also has 'temple museums' adjacent to temples.
1. Devaswom Museum - Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple
Educational Institutions Museums
These include museums established in connection with schools, colleges, and research institutions. Some of them are as follows.
1. Zoology and Botany Museum - Maharaja's College, Ernakulam
2. Archaeological Museum - U.C. College, Aluva
3. Archaeological Museum - Marthoma College, Perumbavoor
4. Zoological Museum - Sacred Heart College, Thevara
5. Zamorin's Heritage Center - Zamorin's Higher Secondary School, Kozhikode
6. Archaeological Museum - Nehru College, Kasaragod
7. History Museum - Calicut University, Malappuram
8. Thunchath Ezhuthachan Heritage Museum - Malayalam University Campus, Malappuram
District museums
Every district has a lot of history to tell. With the aim of sharing it with the next generations, museums are being set up for all 14 districts. The Kerala Archaeological Department is behind this initiative. These are the district museums.
1. Puthenmalika Museum - Thiruvananthapuram
2. Konni Museum - Pathanamthitta
3. Kuttikkanam Palace Museum - Idukki
4. Bastian Bungalow Museum - Ernakulam
5. Kollengode Palace Museum - Thrissur
6. Mani Iyer Auditorium - Palakkad
7. Pazhassi Memorial Hall - Wayanad
8. Jail Museum - Kannur
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