Come 2017 and the Colombo National Museum is spruced up to receive visitors ready to dip into a treasure trove of artifacts. The venue got a facelift recently as the monument went under a mega renovation and conservation project starting from August 15, 2014. This is the first time in its 140 year history that the complex was renovated. The project was handled by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau and the work was undertaken by the Sri Lankan army.
The present structure consists of masonry walls, masonry and stone columns as load bearing elements. Timber beams and planks had been used as flexural elements for the Upper Floor and asbestos roof was supported on timber trusses. Upper floor corridors and verandahs had been paved with bricks which were supported on closely spaced timber beams. The building is moulded according to the Italian architectural style which is on par with designs like the Arcade and the Old Town Hall in Pettah. It is the largest museum in the country and comes under the department of National Museums of the Ministry of National Heritage and Cultural Affairs.
“We took note to preserve the old structure of the building. All the artifacts were removed and kept in safe places before work began in each gallery. This was done one section at a time. We also removed the roof and put a temporary roof in its place. Though there was a need for the place to be conservated, it did not happen for many years. However once we began work, we realized that the building has been done in such a manner so that it has been able to weather the storms for many years,” Colombo National Museum Director Sanuja Kasthuriarachchi said.
She noted that termites was the biggest problem that they had to encounter during the process. They had gotten this under control via the spray treatment.
“The first time that the roof was taken off, I wondered if we would be able to do this but it is pleasing to say that everything has gone according to plan. We can now open doors to a venue which is well furbished but still retains its grandeur,” she said.
Formerly titled ‘The Colombo Museum’ the monument was established on January 1, 1877 by the British Governor of Ceylon Sir William Henry Gregory. The idea of establishing a museum was brought to his notice by The Royal Asiatic Society (CB). They obtained the approval of the legislative council with much difficulty a year later. J. G. Smither an architect from the Public Works Department planned the building. The construction work was carried out by Arasi Marikar Wapchie Marikar who was also the builder of the General Post Office in Colombo, Colombo Customs, Old Town Hall in Pettah, Galle Face Hotel, Victoria Arcade, Finlay Moir building, the Clock Tower, Batternburg Battery and many other buildings that are still standing today. The construction of The Colombo Museum was completed in 1876 and the museum opened its doors to the public in 1877. Its first director was Dr Amyrald Haly. Dr Arthur Willey and Dr J Pearson followed. Dr P E P Deranuyagala was its first Sinhala director who took over the museum in 1939.
The museum compound is around seven acres. Kasthuriarachchi said that every minute detail has been carefully planned in the process so that even if the museum is located near a busy street, the noise does not disturb those inside the building.
Around 2000 artifacts were on display at the opening of the Colombo Museum. Over the years thousands more items of ancient cultural and heritage value had joined the collection.
The two lower floor of the museum houses artifacts periodwise while the upper floor is divided subjectwise. There are 16 galleries in the museum. The ground floor consists of: Pre and Proto Historic Periods Gallery, Anuradhapura Period Gallery, Polonnaruwa Period Gallery, Transitional Period Gallery, Kandy Period Gallery and Stone Antiquities Gallery. The upper floor gallery arrangement consists of the Painting Gallery, Textile Gallery, Ceramic Gallery, Coins and Currency Gallery, Standards and Banners Gallery, Arts and Crafts Gallery, Arms and Armaments Gallery, Traditional Rituals Gallery Traditional Agriculture Gallery and Furniture Gallery (proposed).
“This names the venue not just a place of exhibition, it is an important centre of education as well. We offer a variety of educational programs, services and resources such as workshops, seminars, audiovisual programs, guided tours and lectures for our visitors,” she said.
The Colombo National Museum celebrated 140 years on January 1, 2017. Kasthuriarachchi noted that they intend to introduce a new mobile app which enables the public to view the exhibits and get information to commemorate this event.
The Colombo National Museum is also linked with other museums in the country which fall under the Department of National Museums. These branch museums are the National Museum of natural history, Dutch Museum of Colombo, the National Museum in Kandy, the National Museum in Ratnapura, the National Museum in Galle, the Maritime Museum, Galle, the Folk Museum in Anuradhapura, the Independence Memorial Museum and the Magampura Ruhunu Heritage Museum.
Trove of antiquity
The hidden world could hold more riches than the world around us. Every once a while, when there’s contact between what’s hidden and humans, they create headlines. These stories, just like the treasures, are rare. The National Museum, Colombo, houses thousands of such treasure which have been buried by time in history. Here are some of the main attractions which have fascinated many of its visitors.
Pictures by Sugath Jayasekara
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Gilt bronze of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (9th century AC) from a temple site at Veheragala, Kahatagasdigiliya, seated in Rajalila, is reckoned as one of the best five masterpiece sculptures of the world. The Bodhisattva, dressed in a simple cloth, is portrayed with a compassionated countenance overlooking the imaginary scene of people below. The right hand is in Vitarka-mudra indicating admonition.
Ardhanarisvara
The composite figure of male and the female figure of Siva and Shakti which normally had the male half on the left and the female on the right. But here, it is reversed. The attributes held by the rare hands, the conch and the cobra are quite unusual. This combination might be of a Siva and Visnu (Shakti), of the Haryardhamurti. The graceful dancing stance is also identified an ARdhanarinateshvara.(9th Century AC)
Siva statue
Siva performing the Tandava dance within tiruvasi circle and subduing delution shown in the form of a dwarf. This icon represents one of the commonest presentations of Siva. (12th Century AC, Polonnaruwa).
Tri-lingual inscription
This tri-lingual Inscription discovered from Galle is a very important documentation inscribed in Persian, Chinese and Tamil, providing news connected with the Indian Ocean trade activities that existed in and around the 14th century AC.
Ola-Leaf book
Cullavagga (Part of the Vinaya Pitaka), pali palm-leaf manuscript is written in Sinhala characters of the 13th century Ac. As seated in the colophon, the manuscript was copied by Medhankara Thera of Beligalla, under the patronage of king Parakramabahu II (1236-1271 Ac). The manuscript is believed to be the oldest extant (palm-leaf manuscript) in Sri Lanka and is of great historical interest.
Sri Wickrema Rajasimha’s throne
Throne and Crown were donated to the king by the Dutch Governor, Thomas van Ree in the period between 1692 and 1697. The Throne was manufactured in wood over which gold plates were fixed. Five kings successfully used this throne, the last being Sri Wickrema Rajasimha. The symbolic present presentations of sun and moon, together with contemporary Sinhala art motifs have made the Royal throne the most attractive exhibit of the museum.
Panakaduwa Copper Plate inscription
The inscription consists of four copper plates and is written on both sides of the plates. It records a special giant made to an officer named Sitnaru Bim Budalnavan by king Vijayabadhu I for the protection afforded to him, when he was in hiding due to Cola incursion. The copper plate constitutes the earliest copper plate grant made by a Sri Lankan king. (Morawak Korale, Matara District, 12th Century AC).
Oil lamp
The Elephant Lamp, a lamp with a queer mechanism providing oil to the lamp through the animal’s organ. (Dedigama, Kegalle District, 12th Century AC).
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