National Museum of Ratnapura

The National Museum of Ratnapura is one of the national museums of Sri Lanka. It is located in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka and it was opened on 13 May 1988.^[1] The museum building is called “Ehelepola Walauwa”, as it once belonged to Ehelepola Nilame,^[2] a courtier of the Kingdom of Kandy, who was the 1st Adigar (1811 - 1814) under the reign King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, the last king of Sri Lanka, for whom he served as the Disawe (local Governor) of Ratnapura.^[3]

The museum includes exhibits on prehistoric archaeological inventions, natural heritage, geological, anthropological, zoological artifacts and models relating to the Sabaragamuwa Province. The weaponry on display include Sinhala swords of the late medieval era including a sword alleged to have belonged to Ehelepola, and a collection of old guns including a Vickers machine gun used during the First World War.^[4] The cooking utensils of the region include a tripod pan with three moulds for preparing rice flour cakes known as kiri roti. Traditional Kandyan jewellery includes necklaces, bangles, anklets and earrings. The grounds of the museum contain a palaeobiodiversity park, with life-sized animal sculptures of species believed to have existed in the region.^[3]

See also

• List of museums in Sri Lanka

References

External links

• Image Gallery : Ratnapura National Museum
• Government Information Centre

Museums in Sri Lanka
National museums	National Museum of Colombo National Museum of Kandy National Museum of Galle National Museum of Ratnapura
Department of Museums (Subject)	National Museum of Natural History Colombo Dutch Museum National Maritime Museum (Galle) Independence Memorial Museum Folk Museum (Anuradhapura)
Institutional subjects	Ceylon Tea Museum Colombo Port Maritime Museum Currency museum, Colombo Highway museum complex, Kiribathkumbura Hoods Tower Museum International Buddhist Museum Maritime and Naval History Museum, Trincomalee Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum Masks museum, Ambalangoda Museum of Temple of Tooth National railway museum, Kadugannawa Postal museum, Colombo Sri Lanka Air Force Museum S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Museum Walisinghe Harischandra Museum Wax Museum (Sri Lanka)
Department of Archaeology (Regional)	North Central Province Anuradhapura Museum Mihintale Museum Veheragala Museum Isurumuniya Museum Tantirimale Museum North Western Province Panduwasnuwara Museum Puttalam Museum Rajanganaya Museum Yapahuwa Museum Dambadeniya Museum Central Province Kandy Royal Palace Museum Nalanda Museum Pidurangala Museum Eastern Province Batticaloa Museum Dighavapi Museum Seruwila Museum Welgam Vehera Museum Western Province Kotte Museum Southern Province Matara Star Fort Museum Yatala Museum Kasagala Museum Mulkirigala Museum Northern Province Jaffna Museum Vavuniya Museum Uva Province Buduruwagala Museum Maligawila Museum Sabaragamuwa Province Dedigama Museum