Galle National Maritime Museum and the Old Gate
A museum in a Dutch warehouse built into the rampart above the Old Gate, with shipwreck finds, boat models and the VOC crest dated 1669.
Sources
What the museum actually is
The National Maritime Museum, also called the Maritime Archaeology Museum, occupies a two-storey Dutch warehouse partly built into the thickness of the rampart above the Old Gate. Sources date the warehouse to 1671, with 1672 and 1717 also quoted.
It first opened in 1992 and reopened on 4 March 2010 after a renovation paid for by the Netherlands. The 2004 tsunami flooded the old premises and destroyed the adjoining maritime archaeology unit, and only a fraction of the shipwreck finds survived.
Today the displays cover Sri Lanka’s trading history, shipwreck finds including material from the Dutch ships Avondster (1659) and Hercules (1661), and traditional fishing boats and techniques. The gate outside is the other half of the visit: the inner face carries a 1669 date, the letters VOC and a cock flanked by two lions.
Worth your attention
The Old Gate inscription
On the inner side: the date 1669, VOC lettering and a cock between two lions. A British coat of arms is on the outer side.
Shipwreck finds
Items recovered from the Avondster (1659) and Hercules (1661): ceramics, pipes, guns and barrels.
Boats and fishing
Models and replicas of traditional south-coast boats and fishing methods.
The building
A long yellow-walled warehouse that is part of the rampart. The architecture is as interesting as some exhibits.
Before you go
Do this
- Look at the gate arch on your way in; people photograph the museum and miss it.
- Read the Avondster and Hercules panels to put the finds in context.
- Come at midday as a break from the heat.
- Check the Central Cultural Fund e-ticket system if you want to pre-book.
- Combine it with the lighthouse and Groote Kerk nearby.
Know this first
- Opening days and prices are not clearly published; confirm before you go.
- Only a fraction of the pre-tsunami collection survived, so it is smaller than the building suggests.
- Some reviewers find the displays dry unless you like ship models and old artefacts.
- Labelling is uneven; a guide or phone search helps.
Getting to Galle National Maritime Museum and the Old Gate
Most people see Galle National Maritime Museum and the Old Gate as part of a stay around Galle. Our Galle guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Galle — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Galle guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Galle National Maritime Museum and the Old Gate — frequently asked
What is the Galle Maritime Museum?
The National Maritime (Archaeology) Museum, in a Dutch warehouse above the Old Gate of Galle Fort. It reopened on 4 March 2010 after Dutch-funded renovation.
What is carved above the Old Gate?
The inner side bears the date 1669, the letters VOC (the Dutch East India Company) and a cock flanked by two lions. The British coat of arms is on the other face.
What shipwrecks are displayed?
Finds from Dutch merchant ships, notably the Avondster (1659) and Hercules (1661).
Did the tsunami damage the museum?
The building survived the 2004 tsunami, but the adjoining archaeology unit was destroyed and exhibits were flooded.
Also worth stopping for around Galle
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