Colombo → Sigiriya → Kandy → Ella
Example · Sigiriya, Kandy and Ella — 7 Days with a Local Guide
7 days · 6 nightsEnglish, German
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Researched by Sarisara, with sources.
The National Museum of Kandy sits inside the grounds of the old royal palace complex, right beside the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The building itself was once the queen’s residential quarters, from the time Kandy was the last royal capital of Sri Lanka, before the British ended Kandyan rule in 1815.
Inside, the museum holds everyday and ceremonial objects from the Kandyan kingdom: royal costumes and jewellery, ceremonial weapons, old coins, palm-leaf manuscripts, furniture, and items used in the daily life of the royal court. Because the building and the collection both come from the same period, a visit here gives a clearer picture of how the kings and the court actually lived than many other museums can, where the building and the objects are not connected in the same way.
The museum is run by Sri Lanka’s Department of National Museums, the same government department that runs the larger Colombo National Museum and other branch museums around the country. It is a smaller, quieter stop than Colombo’s museum, and most visitors combine it with their visit to the Temple of the Tooth next door, since the two sites share the same part of town.
Most people spend around 30 to 45 minutes here, walking through a modest number of rooms at an easy pace. It works well as a short, air-conditioned break between the temple and the rest of a Kandy city walk.
Entrance tickets are not included in Sarisara prices. Please pay them in cash at the gate.
Last checked: 21 Oct 2026. Prices are set by the temple and can change.
This is the Department of National Museums' own official price for the National Museum of Kandy, found on their official ticket-pricing page. It is not included in your Sarisara price and is paid in cash at the gate. A separate video permit costs LKR 2,500, according to the same official page. Confirm the exact amount and currency accepted at the gate before you go, since prices can change.
There is no enforced dress code for the museum itself. Dress comfortably, as you would for any museum.
Not dressed right? There is no dress rule checked at the museum entrance. You will not be refused entry for your clothing here, though the Temple of the Tooth next door does enforce its own dress code.
These hours and closing days come from independent travel sources, not the museum's own official page, which does not publish opening hours. The Colombo National Museum (run by the same department) is confirmed closed on Mondays and Poya days, but whether the same Monday closure applies to this Kandy branch was not checked.
Department of National Museums, Sri Lanka Official website
Beside the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy, Central Province, Sri Lanka
Trips, experiences and stays in and around Kandy.
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Colombo → Sigiriya → Kandy → Ella
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Fire dancers light the road before the elephants of the Esala Perahera.
