Archaeological Museum
Archaeological Museum
3.8
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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.
3.8
274 reviews
Excellent
69
Very good
117
Average
68
Poor
14
Terrible
6
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galadiel67
Chiavari, Italy3,851 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
The ticket office for the excavations of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa corresponds to that of the Archaeological Museum and the ticket includes the two visits. The cost for foreigners is 30 USDollar, without any kind of discount. If you can swallow and pay the amount, a tour of the museum is interesting. Don't hold high expectations: it's a museum with some slightly more modern parts but most of the display isn't very eye-catching. But if you have the patience and time to read some explanations, your visit will also be better and more conscious. Sometimes the guardians spend a few words of explanation out of kindness (or perhaps because they expect a tip?). Outside the Museum you will be engulfed by many guides who will offer to accompany you both to the museum and to the excavations. It may be worth it for the latter (for us it was a boon: we saved a lot of time in the huge archaeological site and acted as an interpreter in a misadventure we had that day), but not for the museum: if you want to save a little something, visit it yourself.
Automatically translated
Written November 25, 2024
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.
Janka K
Brno, Czech Republic9,379 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
The museum is not as interesting as seeing the historical sights themselves, but it's definitely necessary to understand what you will actually visit at what location and what you will actually see. At the same time, this is a ticket office where you need to buy a ticket to enter different museum locations. As with anything at Sri Lanka, tourists and locals get very different prices for entrance tickets.
Written April 2, 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.
selvakumar2015
Chennai (Madras), India1,038 contributions
Sep 2022 • Solo
Located in natural settings surrounded by ponds brimming with water lilies, the archaeological museum of Pulanaruva needs atleast two hours to see the various artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations in and around Pulanaruva, Sri Lanka.
The artifacts/ remains of both the victors and the vanquished are displayed in various sections of the museum.
The museum is air-conditioned with a quiet ambience.
The visitors, though few, comprise both domestic and international tourists.
The entry fee is quite reasonable and the staff are friendly.
A visitors book is also available for your comments.
Enroute to Pulanaruva we also saw a few wild elephants.
For unknown reasons, photography inside the museum is not allowed.
Worth visiting.
The artifacts/ remains of both the victors and the vanquished are displayed in various sections of the museum.
The museum is air-conditioned with a quiet ambience.
The visitors, though few, comprise both domestic and international tourists.
The entry fee is quite reasonable and the staff are friendly.
A visitors book is also available for your comments.
Enroute to Pulanaruva we also saw a few wild elephants.
For unknown reasons, photography inside the museum is not allowed.
Worth visiting.
Written October 17, 2022
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.
S P
UK14 contributions
Feb 2023 • Family
The staff are very rude and unhelpful here. They pressure you to buy tickets even for people who don't want to go. They followed us to the car for some reason to check who was in the car. Its all very strange. Rude and unhelpful staff let things down here.
Written February 4, 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.
Kai Wah
Malaysia3,806 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
It is hard to miss this museum where is located right after the ticketing counter of Polonnaruwa Ancient Site. Worth to check it out which provides a good overviews and narrations of the architecture and structures of the ancient world at Polonnaruwa. A short visit of 30 mins to have some basic understanding would make the visit to the heritage sites more meaningful.
Written March 11, 2020
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.
Terry M
Hamilton, Canada4,924 contributions
Jan 2020
While you cannot take photographs, the museum does give you some perspective of the site. Some pieces of note included a bronze chest, ancient hospital tools and statues of Siva Nataraja and the amply breasted Sivakamasundari. The layout is quality over quantity. It can readily be visited in under an hour.
Written February 5, 2020
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.
phait_lee
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia594 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
The museum gives a quick introduction of what to expect from the Polonnaruwa archaeological site. It mainly showcases the 3 great kings of Sri Lanka, and the civilisation, education and religion that they brought to the people.
Unfortunately you can’t take pictures inside the museum.
Unfortunately you can’t take pictures inside the museum.
Written January 11, 2020
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.
Sipke vink
Cairns, Australia214 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
Shame you are not aloud to make any pictures there are some interesting objects in display well worth it to see and explore
Written March 11, 2020
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.
Riccardo R
Udine, Italy205 contributions
Jan 2016 • Solo
Excellent museum located in Polonnaruwa city centre, near the lake. Entrance is included in Polonnaruwa archaeological site ticket (Rs 3500 in January 2016). Very interesting guided tour (free) led by an archaeologist. On the first room, a large model of the city and ruins gives an idea of how enormous the city was. Many photos of the monuments before and after restoration. Stone sculptures of Hindu deities, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, fragments of columns and capitels. Interesting stone boxes with offerings. Dancing Shiva Nataraja in bronze. Really worth the visit (better before the ruins)
Written February 17, 2016
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.
lovethisplanet2014
Palmerston, Australia225 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
Mainly before-after pictures and a few models, The original items are worth it but don't plan for too much time in here. The aircon isn't working so it's like a sauna, too.
Written April 29, 2019
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.
What are the museum opening days during April? Is the museum closed during the new year public holidays?
Written January 25, 2019
I’m only aware that tickets can be purchase only from the museum entrance since I have purchased like that only. At that there’s no any crowd so I didn’t need to find other means.
However you may find other alternatives by visiting archaeological.gov.lk web site.
Written July 15, 2018
Peut on visiter le musée la veille avant de faire le site de Polanarawa?
Written January 26, 2018
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