Colombo Dutch Museum in Pettah

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Sri Lanka is the only country in the world to commemorate the Dutch period in its history (1656–1796) by establishing a Dutch Period Museum.

Dutch Presence in Colombo

During the Dutch colonial era, senior officials of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) resided in the Fort, also known as the Casteel. The rest of the personnel, along with Burghers who had settled as traders, lived in the old part of the city (Oude Stad), now called Pettah.

At the time, the streets were shaded by rows of trees along wide avenues. It was compulsory for homeowners to plant and water trees, with fines imposed on those who failed to do so.

The English physician Ives, who visited Colombo in 1757, remarked:
“The streets are very wide with a row of beautiful trees. On each side between them and the houses is a very smooth and regular pavement. The whole is so elegantly disposed that we could not help admiring the wisdom and the genius of the Dutch.”

Pettah in Modern Times

Today, Pettah is a bustling bazaar with narrow streets where traffic moves with difficulty. Some streets still retain their original Dutch names, such as Maliban, Leynbaan, Keizer, Dam, and Prince Street.

In Prince Street, named by the VOC after the son of King Raja Sinha, stands a grand colonial building with eight columns. Once the residence of Governor Van Rhee (1692–1697), it is a fine example of Dutch colonial architecture, with high-ceilinged rooms and a columned gallery designed for ventilation.

Historical Uses of the Building

Over the centuries, this building served multiple purposes:

From 1696 to 1796, it functioned as a training institute for clergymen and schoolmasters, marked by an inscription above the entrance quoting Psalm 127: Nisi Jehova aedificet domum, frustra laborant aedificatores (“Unless God builds the house, the workers toil in vain”).
It is believed to have housed the Colombo orphanage, managed by deacons and financed partly by the VOC and partly through private donations.
In 1803, conflicts between the English and the Kandyan Kingdom created a need for hospitals, and the building was converted for medical use.
During the second half of the 19th century, it served as a barracks, and in 1900, Burgher Altendorf established a police training school here.
From 1932, the Pettah Post Office occupied the premises.

Decline and Restoration Efforts

In 1971, heavy monsoon rains caused one of the building’s sidewalls to collapse, forcing its evacuation. Proposals were made to demolish the structure and replace it with a commercial building.

The Royal Asiatic Society and the Dutch Burgher Union (DBU) had long advocated restoring the building as a museum dedicated to the Dutch period. Although the government was open to the idea, urgent national priorities delayed restoration for decades.

A turning point came in 1973, when a restoration committee was formed, comprising representatives from the Ceylon Tourist Board, the Department of Archaeology (led by Roland Silva, later a doctorate recipient from the University of Leiden), the Netherlands Alumni Association (NAAL), and the National Archives. The Consul-General of the Netherlands in Sri Lanka, Mallory Wijesinghe, played an active role in strengthening ties between the two countries. Architect Ashley de Vos volunteered as honorary architect for the project.

Role of NAAL and Dutch Support

Founded in 1971 by NUFFIC (Netherlands Universities Foundation for International Cooperation), NAAL took an interest in cultural projects, including the museum’s restoration. The Colombo committee sought financial support from Evert Jongens of NUFFIC, who was instrumental in launching restoration fundraising efforts.

In 1976, Jongens established the Netherlands–Sri Lanka Foundation to support the project. At the time, interest in the VOC’s history within the Netherlands was minimal, and many Dutch citizens preferred not to recall the colonial past, making fundraising difficult.

Opening and Later Recognition

The Dutch Period Museum officially opened on 10 July 1982.

Two decades later, in 2002, Dutch attitudes toward their colonial history had shifted. On 20 March—exactly 400 years after the VOC’s founding—a solemn commemorative session was held in The Hague’s Ridderzaal (Hall of Knights), attended by the Dutch Royal Family, top government officials, and members of parliament, and broadcast live on national television.

Visiting the Museum

Despite its historical significance, the Dutch Period Museum remains under-visited by tourists in Colombo. Located at No. 96 Prince Street in Pettah, it is less than a 10-minute walk from the Fort Railway Station. The museum is open daily, offering visitors a glimpse into a unique chapter of Sri Lanka’s colonial history.

Primary Source : www.stichtingnederlandsrilanka.nl

Entrance Ticket Prices of the Dutch Museum of Colombo

Museum	Local Child (LKR)	Local Adult (LKR)	Foreign Child (LKR)	Foreign Adult (LKR)
Colombo National Museum & National Museum of Natural History	60	120	750	1500
Colombo National Museum	50	100	600	1200
National Museum of Natural History	30	60	400	700
Polonnaruwa Archaeological Museum	60	120	600	1200
Polonnaruwa Ancient Technology Museum	50	100	600	1200
Dutch Museum in Colombo	50	100	600	1200
Independence Memorial Museum	25	50	300	500
Anuradhapura Archaeological Museum	60	120	600	1200
Kandy National Museum	50	100	400	600
Ratnapura National Museum	50	100	400	600
Galle National Museum	25	50	350	550
Galle Maritime Museum	25	50	350	550
Magampura Ruhuna Heritage Museum	25	50	350	550
Anuradhapura Folk Museum	25	50	300	500
All ticket prices are in Sri Lankan Rupees
The above ticket prices are effective from 2022.04.01

Photography: Allowed

Opening Hours of the Dutch Museum

The museum is open seven days a week from 9 AM to 4:30 PM.

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