Dutch Museum
Dutch Museum
3
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Dutch Museum and nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
729 within 3 miles
Attractions
159 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.0
119 reviews
Excellent
15
Very good
37
Average
34
Poor
19
Terrible
14
Nine Arch Travel & Tours sri lanka.
Kandy, Sri Lanka507 contributions
Jan 2025 • Friends
"The Dutch Period Museum in Colombo offers an insightful journey into Sri Lanka's colonial past. Housed in a beautifully preserved Dutch-era building, the museum showcases a rich collection of artifacts, including furniture, ceramics, and old maps. It provides a unique perspective on the island’s history during Dutch rule, making it a must-visit for history enthusiasts."
Written January 29, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GuelphTraveller
Canada1,377 contributions
Jan 2017 • Solo
This is a very intact 18th Century Dutch house and the best example in Colombo. It has many original features and houses a collection of furniture and artifacts. It also has a nice garden and out buildings. The problem is that this special house is not well maintained and the collection of items is being ruined. I thought this when I visited 8 years ago and since then the place has deteriorated further. I noticed one lovely 18th Century card table was now broken and leaning up against a wall while another visitor was just opening and closing drawers on an 18th Century chest of drawers that has also seen rough times. This house is a must see but it also needs some attention. Also it is difficult to photograph the building because staff and tour guides insist on standing in front all the time!!!!!!!
Written January 7, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cjkfung
Jomtien Beach, Thailand90 contributions
Apr 2013 • Couples
Location:
After doing extensive planning by plotting out the location of the museum with online mapping, printing the map out, we still got lost in the Pettah market area trying to find this museum. We eventually got a tuk-tuk to the museum. It wasn’t worth going on a wild goose chase in the intense heat of the afternoon.
Description of Attraction:
A two-story concrete building housing examples (not more than several examples of each) of various Dutch (style/inspired) artifacts, furniture, coins, weapons, maps, manuscripts, tombstones, etc. A pleasant grassy courtyard with a cinnamon tree and cardamom bush plant can be found in the back of the building (we had never known where cardamom and cinnamon came from, so this was a highlight for us). After spending about fifteen minutes reading the English-language descriptions of the objects, I found myself paying more attention to trying to find the cooler spots in the museum (no air-con throughout the building). We spent around half an hour in the building and saw pretty much all the exhibits. Double-standard entrance fee: foreign adults 500 LKR (~4 USD), while Sri Lankan adult nationals 300 LKR (~2.4 USD) and a camera permit fee of 240 LKR (~1.9 USD).
Recommendations:
Probably better to go during a cooler season (not during late April like we did). Take a tuk-tuk to prevent the feeling of getting lost (sweaty and annoyed). We went in the late afternoon. Perhaps going in the morning would have been less hot.
After doing extensive planning by plotting out the location of the museum with online mapping, printing the map out, we still got lost in the Pettah market area trying to find this museum. We eventually got a tuk-tuk to the museum. It wasn’t worth going on a wild goose chase in the intense heat of the afternoon.
Description of Attraction:
A two-story concrete building housing examples (not more than several examples of each) of various Dutch (style/inspired) artifacts, furniture, coins, weapons, maps, manuscripts, tombstones, etc. A pleasant grassy courtyard with a cinnamon tree and cardamom bush plant can be found in the back of the building (we had never known where cardamom and cinnamon came from, so this was a highlight for us). After spending about fifteen minutes reading the English-language descriptions of the objects, I found myself paying more attention to trying to find the cooler spots in the museum (no air-con throughout the building). We spent around half an hour in the building and saw pretty much all the exhibits. Double-standard entrance fee: foreign adults 500 LKR (~4 USD), while Sri Lankan adult nationals 300 LKR (~2.4 USD) and a camera permit fee of 240 LKR (~1.9 USD).
Recommendations:
Probably better to go during a cooler season (not during late April like we did). Take a tuk-tuk to prevent the feeling of getting lost (sweaty and annoyed). We went in the late afternoon. Perhaps going in the morning would have been less hot.
Written April 21, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maureen G
Venice, FL97 contributions
Feb 2023
We tried to visit the Dutch Period Museum at the end of February 2023 and it is still closed. A man from the museum advised that renovations are expected to continue through the next 7 months. I imagine that this museum will be well worth a visit, even if just for the building and architecture. Best of luck to those working on this project.
Written March 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vikas Singh
Ghaziabad, India4,299 contributions
Feb 2014 • Family
Dutch period Museum is located in the former residence of Count August Carl Van Ranzow. Built in the early 17th century it has an impressive collection of furniture, crockery, coins, arms and other historical items from the Dutch period. The Dutch period in Sri Lanka commenced with the seizure of the Portuguese settlements in Sri Lanka by the East India Company- Vereenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (VOC) on 12th June 1656 and ended with the surrender to the English East India Company on 14th Feb, 1795. This period was not a government by a Dutch nation or by a Dutch sovereign but a government of a Company with the object of commerce and especially of its monopoly. The Prince Street today has stores selling all sorts of items. The restoration of this building commenced in 31st Jan, 1977 and was opened for public on 15th Jan, 1981. The Tombstone hall here houses tombstones from the old Dutch cemetery in Pettah from the period 1656-1796. Each tombstone has a crest on the top with symbol of death. Most of these are of officials designated as either Captain, lieutenant, Clerk or book keeper with VOC.
Written July 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zsolt P
Muscat, Oman266 contributions
Jan 2012
It is not without a reason that this ranks the last of the so-called "attractions" (of which there are actually none) of Colombo. The whole thing is a scam. If you go there, you will have the dubious pleasure of walking around in an empty house with a few furnitures haphazardly arranged by the walls or in storage. They are not even from the Dutch period (at leas the ones we looked at closely). Absolutely NOT recommended. It is hard to find, hard to reach, expensive and utterly boring for everyone. You are much better off spending your money on some good Sri Lankan food (or anything for that matter) than this.
Written February 8, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ruwan w
Colombo, Sri Lanka54 contributions
Sep 2012
It's worth to see if anyone in a city tour of Colombo. we had to go through narrow but busy street to reach the Dutch museum. Not a huge or busy museum.low price rated tickets so worth visiting if you have time. but not a major attraction.
Written September 18, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MangoMunky
Bali, Indonesia18,726 contributions
Oct 2011 • Solo
Sri Lanka has a very interesting history, and the Dutch period of colonalization lasted between 1638 to 1802 sandwiched between the Portuguese and British periods. This museum is one of the old houses left over from that era, and it's interesting to imagine wht the Pettah area looked like back in the olde days. There are displays of some old implements, maps, clothing and especially furniture. But unless you are a very dedicated history buff the museum might disappoint. It takes a bit of digging to find it, as it seems even the neighboring shop keepers don't know about it's existence. But if you like old buildings it's worth the extra effort.
Written October 30, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pao wong
40 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
Please help to take care if this wonderful historical place, Embassy of Netherlands should get involved in this. It could very well be another tourist attraction if not at all ran down.
Written April 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roberts746d
Hong Kong, China114 contributions
Dec 2014 • Couples
We were saddened to see this beautiful building in such a poor state of repair, especially considering that it was restored with the help of the Dutch government not all that long ago. There seems to be very little in the way of maintenance. considering the surprisingly high cost of entrance (including a delightful camera fee) you would think that there would be a little left over to cover basic maintenance!
Additionally it is very clear from the extremely poor state of furniture on display that nobody actually cares. Dust and dirt cake every surface, descriptions of the pieces on display are SELLOTAPED directly onto the wood! Shame on the people who run the place!
Additionally it is very clear from the extremely poor state of furniture on display that nobody actually cares. Dust and dirt cake every surface, descriptions of the pieces on display are SELLOTAPED directly onto the wood! Shame on the people who run the place!
Written January 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is the Dutch museum open for visitors or is it still under repair
Written September 11, 2019
The museum is now CLOSED for visitors due to renovations as at date
Written August 23, 2017
Showing results 1-2 of 2
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing