Thrissur, cultural capital of Kerala, God's own country is a home to numerous palaces and museums. It was ruled by several kings and dynasties and, hence, their palaces. The objects that were used by them in that particular era are displayed in the museums.
Archaeological and Art Museum
A
repository of ancient carvings, jewellery, paintings and sculptures
that throw light on the ancient architectural heritage of the state,
this museum also contains archaeological finds from the Megalithic Age. Read More
Mural Art Museum
Housed
inside the Kollengode Palace, this is the only museum and the first of
its kind to host and display murals. Excavated artefacts from the Indus
Valley and Harappa Civilizations and the dry palm-leaf manuscripts
known as ‘Olagradhangal’ are preserved and displayed here. Read More
Ramavarma Appan Thampuran Memorial
Established
in 1976 to honour Ramavarma Appan Thampuran at Kumarapuram Palace where
he lived, the memorial consists of a vast library with a huge
collection of books and journals. It is the only one that has over 7000
bound volumes of magazines dating from 1065.
Vallathol Museum
This museum exhibits the personal belongings of Mahakavi Vallathol, the famous poet and writer Vallathol Narayana Menon.
Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda Museum
Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda Museum is a
showcase of the evolution and richness of the Ayurveda tradition of
herbal medicine. A panoramic exhibit tracing the history of Ayurveda
from ancient times to the modern era; exclusive sections on Sushrutha,
the physician and his treatises on medicine and treatment, a digital
library and a 3-D gallery are the highlights of this place.
Sakthan
Thampuran Palace
Known as Vadakkekara Palace before Raja Rama Varma of
the princely Cochin state reconstructed it in 1795 in the Dutch period
style. Contains separate galleries for bronze edifices and sculptures
dating between 9th and 17th centuries along with Numismatics (ancient
coins) and Epigraghy (ancient writings) displays.Read More
Kodungallur Kovilakkam
This
Kovilakkam palace belonged to the medieval kingdom of Kodungallur
(known as Cranganore earlier) and housed the royal family of this feudal
principality which was subordinated to the rulers of the Cochin
Kingdom. During the brief rule of the Dutch in South India Kodungallur
had their protection but reverted allegiance to the Zamorins who ruled
over Thrissur. The princely dynasty had several scholars, poets and
musicians who have contributed immensely to the enrichment of Malayalam
and Sanskrit culture and literature. Kerala’s age-old ‘gurukulams’ were
centred on the Kodungallur Kovilakkam for many decades.
Kollengode Palace
The Kollengode Palace was built by Vasudeva Raja of Kollengode as a gift for his
daughter. This was taken over by the Archaeological Department of the
government and converted into a museum. A beautiful blend of Kerala
architecture with western design, the palace is a must-see.