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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Shame you are not aloud to make any pictures there are some interesting objects in display well worth it to see and explore

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)

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.

Located outside the archeological park and near the ticket counter, the small museum would give you a feeling of the history of the place you're going to visit, an idea of the splendor that must have been the capital of the second oldest kingdom of the country, the Kindom of Polonnaruwa.