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Ernakulam museum in Kerala is a group of museums which contains artefacts, sculptures, coins and much more. These museums showcase the rich cultural heritage of Kerala. These museums have belongings of Maharaja and his royal family of Kerala. From the Keralan heritage to the Indo- Portuguese and Dutch influence, manuscripts and art, they provide deep information and glimpses of the diverse history. They unfold the faded stories of the past, especially popular for showcasing old-age foreign cultural influences on South India.
Top 10 Museums in Ernakulam Museums
One who has an interest in history and art, they can visit these top 10 Ernakulam museums to elevate their next experience in Kerala
1. Kerala Folklore Museum
One of the most famous museums in Ernakulam is Kerala folklore museum. It is built in an ancient architectural style. The material used is also unique like tiles made of clay, wood and stone. In this museum there are collections of things which were associated with folk culture of the state and these are protected here so that upcoming generations may learn about folk traditions of Kerala. The museum also has an antique shop, face art gallery and a cafe where you can have tasty meals.
Location- Chirakkal, Kannur district.
Fees- ₹100 per adult, ₹50 children.
Timings- 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
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2. Hill Palace Museum
Photo: Ashwin Kumar / Wikipedia
Next on the list of top museums in Ernakulam is Hill palace museum. It is an archaeological museum. Earlier it was the administrative office of Maharaja of Cochin. Now the museum is the largest archaeological museum in the state comprising 49 buildings. It is also the first heritage museum of Kerala. In the complex of this museum, there is a deer park, children park and a heritage centre. This museum preserves most of the royal artefacts of royal families. It is located in Thrippunithura.
Location- Thrippunithura, cochin
Fees- ₹ 30 per person.
Timings- 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
3. Museum of Kerala History
Photo: Smenon07 / Wikimedia Commons
Museum of Kerala history is one of the oldest and best museums in Kerala. It depicts the story and background of 87 personalities who worked to shape the future of Kerala state. Light and sound shows are also organised here in English and Malayalam language. It was opened in 1984 and for visitors it was opened in 1987. This museum will visually show you the transformation of Kerala as it is now from earlier periods.
Location- 8 km from Ernakulam.
Fees- ₹ 100 for adults, ₹ 50 for children.
Timings- 10:00 AM – 5:00 AM
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4. Indo- Portuguese museum
Indo- Portuguese museum is located in Kochi fort and it shows the influence of Portuguese architecture and the rich cultural heritage of kerala. Interestingly, this museum is in the Bishop’s house. The museum is home to artefacts collected from different churches of Kerala. There are great Portuguese art works in the museum. Based on the artefacts the museum is divided in five sections. These are Altar, Procession, Treasure, Cathedral and Civil life.
Location- Kochi fort, Kochi
Timings- 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fees- ₹ 40 per person
5. Mattancherry Palace
Photo: Ranjith Siji / Wikipedia
Mattancherry is a palace but also serves as a museum. Constructed by the Portuguese, it is showcasing royal artefacts, murals and exhibitions related to the history of Kochi. Sometimes it is also referred to as the Dutch palace because it was repaired heavily by dutch. It is built in the traditional architectural style of Kerala. The diverse murals of the palace also carry depictions from epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. The murals are spread over an area of 300 square kilometres in the palace.
Location- Kochi, Kerala.
Fees- ₹ 2 for adults
Timings- 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 2:00PM – 4:45 PM
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6. Pareekshith Thampuran Museum
Photo: Koonankurish2 / Wikipedia / Image for representation only
Pareekshith Thampuran museum,one of the most historical museums in Ernakulam is located in Thrippunithura. It has a rich collection of artefacts, coins, sculpture, manuscript which showcases the diverse cultural and archaeological history of kerala. Opened in 1970 the museum displays Cochin’s royal family’s arms and ammunition. People who have interest in history visit here most often. It is not only one of the best museums of Kerala but also of the whole India.
Location- Durbar Hall Road
Timings- 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM – 4:45 PM
7. Chitram Art Gallery
Photo: Ahinkumardas / Wikimedia Commons / Image for representation only
Chitram art gallery is located near durbar hall road in Kochi. The chitram art gallery exhibition related to culture, art and tradition of kerala takes place. Established in 1935, the museums gallery has unique paintings in Kerala style showcasing the art of Kerala. There are more than 1100 paintings in this art gallery. The art gallery also shows paintings of the time of Mughal and Rajput rulers. There are also collections from Japan, China and Tibetan paintings.
Location- Durbar hall road, Kochi, Kerala
Fees- ₹ 10 for adults.
Timings- 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
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8. Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Museum
Photo: Ken Tony / Wikimedia Commons
This museum is located in Kaloor area. Named before our first prime minister, one of the most popular museums in Ernakulam as it showcases the history of various sports in Kerala. It also showcases the achievements of athletes from the state of Kerala. It is a great museum located in the heart of Cochin. They organise many international sports events and ISL matches here. All football fans must visit this museum cum stadium to have a great experience.
Location- Near Kaloor bus stand, Kaloor
Entry Fees- ₹ 50 per person
Timings- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
9. Museum of Prints and Copies
Photo: Smenon07 / Wikipedia / Image for representation only
Museum of prints and copies is located in Mattancherry Palace built by the Portuguese. It is famous for its collection of different styles of European paintings and arts. The museums organises printmaking workshops. Kerala has diversified its museums and this is also a unique theme-based museum and allows active participation of visitors for a fascinating experience.
Location- Near Mattancherry
Timings- 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
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10. Palm- Leaf Manuscript Museum
Photo: Manoj Choudhury / Wikipedia
Established with the help of the Archeological Department of India, it is world’s largest palm-leaf manuscript musuem. In this museum there are the ancient texts of Kerala which has a deep history of social, economic and cultural aspects of the region. There are more than 650 years old manuscripts in this palm leaf museum. There is a collection of more than one crore palm leaf manuscripts which showcases the history of kerala.
Location- Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala
Entry Fees- ₹ 30
Timings- 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Kerala has a lot of museums reflecting its rich history. You might get confused while deciding on which ones to explore. If you have deep interest in history, art and archaeology,These are the top 10 Ernakulam museums in Kerala to look out for your next trip to Kerala. Add these to your bucket list with a full guide with Trip XL.
Cover Photo: Ambadyanands / Wikipedia
