Wherever we go, the museums of that place help us discover the history and heritage of that land. Museums are buildings that store and exhibit objects that have historical, artistic, scientific, or cultural significance. Knowing and learning the history and heritage of a place can truly connect you to that land. Kerala has a long and rich history, with a large chunk of it being adequately preserved in the museums of the state. Apart from preserving historic artefacts and remains of the ancient world, some museums are dedicated to art or other specific affairs in Kerala. If you are visiting Kerala, especially with your kids, visiting these museums can give them so many valuable insights about their homeland and the culture. In this article, we are going to discover some of the most beautiful museums in Kerala.

Hill Palace Museum

The largest archaeological museum in Kerala, the Hill Palace Museum at Thripunitura, was built in 1865. Like the name suggests, the palace is situated on a hill and used to be the official residence of the king of Cochin. Surrounded by a beautiful garden, the palace complex has 49 buildings and is spread across 54 acres of land. Home to many historic artefacts, including crowns, swords, art works, manuscripts, coins, sculptures, and paintings, the museum complex has an archaeological museum, a deer park, a prehistoric park, a heritage museum, and a children's park.

KDHP Museum

Munnar is one of Kerala’s most popular hill stations, and the KDHP museum, also known as the Tata Tea Museum, is one of a kind. Apart from the history and artefacts displayed here, you can also get a closer look at the process of making tea here, not to mention the beauty of this museum and the surrounding area! You can also try different types of tea and buy your favourite flavours from the sales outlets to take back home with the memories. The Kannan Devan Tea Museum is definitely one of the most unique museums in Kerala.

Napier Museum

Established in 1880, the Napier Museum is situated in the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, and the building is a testimony to the beautiful Indo-Saracenic architecture style. The museum exhibits include temple chariots, archaeological and historic artefacts, bronze idols, ivory carvings, ancient accessories, ornaments, and trinkets. The museum also has a vast and beautiful garden where you can spend plenty of quality time together.

Kerala Folklore Museum

Established in 2009, the Kerala Folklore Museum is a treasure hoard that showcases more than 5,000 artefacts. From the traditional architecture of the museum to the immense collection of artefacts, the museum is a home of wonders. Here you can explore Stone Age utensils, bronze, stone, and wood sculptures, masks, musical instruments, traditional clothes, costumes of ritual art forms, traditional ornaments, and manuscripts.

Kumarakom Craft Museum

Kumarakom is a destination famous for its scenic waterways, and the craft museum is a perfect palace to explore the rich cultural heritage of this area. Apart from exploring the gorgeous collection of artefacts, paintings, and antiques, you can also witness traditional artisans at their best, working on their craft, engaging in pottery, woodwork, and the making of coir, baskets, and kathakali masks. The beautiful location and the backdrop of the gorgeous waterways also add to the charm of this wonderful museum.

Kuthiramalika Palace Museum

Built in the 18th century, the Kuthiramalika Palace was opened to the public as a museum in 1995. The name ‘Kuthiramalika’ comes from the 122 wooden horses carved on the palace roof. The palace museum exhibits include wooden Kathakali figures, paintings by artists like Raja Ravi Varma, portraits of the Travancore royal family members, mirrors, marble sculptures, the ivory throne of Swathi Thirunal, non-Indian items gifted to the royal family, weapons, shields, the crystal-glass throne of Visakom Thirunal, idols, bronze sculptures, and many more historic artefacts.

End note

A visit to these iconic museums in Kerala can definitely take you on a ride on the wings of the history of this incredible land! Taking your tiny tots on this journey is sure to expand their perspective on Kerala too. Akshharam Malayalam language learning school online wishes you a happy and purposeful journey to the past! We also welcome you to our summer online Malayalam classes! Connect with us to learn more about our learning programs.