Housed in the historic Ehelepola Walauwa mansion, the National Museum of Ratnapura highlights Sri Lanka's regional heritage through fascinating exhibits of prehistoric fossils, ancient weaponry, and traditional gem mining.

Why visit National Museum of Ratnapura

• Historic Building: The museum is located in "Ehelepola Walauwa," a historic mansion that belonged to Ehelepola Nilame, an important figure in the Kingdom of Kandy.
• Diverse Exhibits: It features a wide range of exhibits, including prehistoric artifacts, natural heritage items, and cultural artifacts specific to the Sabaragamuwa Province.
• Unique Weaponry: Visitors can see a collection of weapons, including traditional Sinhala swords and old guns, such as a Vickers machine gun from the British colonial period
• Traditional Cooking Tools: The museum showcases traditional cooking utensils, like a special pan for making rice flour cakes called kiri roti.
• Paleobiodiversity Park: The museum grounds include a park with life-sized sculptures of extinct animals that once lived in the region, such as the Gavara, a relative of the bison.