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Wayanad Heritage Museum
Wayanad, the beautiful district in the southern state of Kerala in India is a virtual smorgasbord of experiences. On the one hand, the angelic beauty of its natural landscapes bewitches with its pristine charm while the opportunity for thrilling treks presents fodder for the adrenaline junkies. Wildlife enthusiasts would find Wayanad teeming with wildlife while those with interests in archaeology, anthropology, and history too would find Wayanad unraveling its secrets to them. The Wayanad Heritage Museum opens a fascinating window to the region’s past.
The Edakkal caves in Wayanad are well known for their stone age carvings and the traces that the Neolithic Man has left. The Edakkal caves also make for an interesting and exciting trek as well with some stunning views. Edakkal Caves figures prominently in the list of Wayanad tourist places.
A gem of the Wayanad Kerala region which is quite near the Edakkal caves is a small but very well maintained and interesting museum known simply as the Wayanad Heritage Museum or also sometimes referred to as the Ambalavayal Heritage Museum. It is located about 12 kilometers from Sulthan Bathery.
The Wayanad Heritage Museum is housed in a neat little heritage building which is built with all the elements of the traditional architecture of the Kerala region. Two grey pillars support the roof of a portico that leads to a wooden doorway.
Four steps flanked by ornamental balustrades on either side lead to this door which is the entrance to the Wayanad Heritage Museum.
The rich diversity of the region of Wayanad is well represented in the Wayanad Heritage Museum in the form of 15 different types of soil of the region. These are part of one of the exhibits in the museum.
The exhibits are neatly categorized and are showcased in three different galleries based on their characteristics.
Gallery-1 Heritage Museum
The first gallery is very interestingly named as “Veerasmruthi”, or “Memories of Heroes”. This gallery is dedicated to the people who laid down their lives while fighting in battle.
The hero stones or memorials to the warriors are exhibited in this section of the Heritage Museum. These stones date back to the Middle Ages and tell stories of valor of the tribals who laid down their lives.
It is believed that an integral part of tribal life in the Middle Ages was Cattle lifting and fights over cattle. The stones have scenes of the battle depicted on them. The Hero stones have images and names engraved on them and are a silent ode in stone to the valor of the deceased warriors.
Gallery-2 of the Heritage Museum
The second gallery in the Heritage Museum is the ‘Devasmruthi” or “Memories of God and worship of God”.
The section has images of various deities who were worshipped in the region in ancient times. The idols include those of Lord Rama, Bhairava or Shiva,
Based on the style of the sculpture of the images, these are estimated to belong to the Vijayanagara period.
Gallery-3 of the Wayanad Heritage Museum
The third and final gallery of the Heritage Museum showcases a slice of everyday life in the ancient times in the region. Some of the exhibits dating all the way back to the stone age.
The third gallery of the Heritage Museum is called “Jeevansmruthi”, or “Memories of Life”. The section has exhibits that relate to everyday life and consists of household utensils and household tools.
The Jeevansmruthi gallery also has exhibits that include ornaments.
Weapons of war and musical instruments that provided entertainment during times of peace stand side by side today at the Heritage Museum.
Wayanad Heritage Museum – Practical Information
- The Heritage Museum is located at a village called Ambalavayal in Wayanad district, Kerala, India
- The Wayanad Heritage Museum is located about 20 kilometers from Kalpetta and 12 kilometers from Sulthan Bathery
- Wayanad Heritage Museum entry fee – The entrance ticket to the Wayanad Heritage Museum is very nominal and one can also take pictures inside the museum by purchasing a ticket for the camera
- Wayanad Heritage Museum timings – The Wayanad Heritage Museum is open from 9 AM to 5.30 PM
Other Places of Interest in Wayanad and Other Useful Information
- Edakkal Caves are 5.5 kilometers from the Wayanad Heritage Museum
- Jain Temple Sulthan Bathery that once served as Tipu Sultan’s armory is located about 11 kilometers from Wayanad Heritage Museum
- Chembra Peak is located about 34 kilometers from the Wayanad Heritage Museum and a trek to Chembra Peak is one of the most thrilling things to do in Wayanad
- Meenmutty falls Wayanad is about 29 kilometers from Kalpetta and three three-tiered falls is one of the popular Wayanad tourist spots
- Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is also referred to as Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and is located about 16 kilometers from Sulthan Bathery
- Pookode Lake figures in the list of Wayanad sightseeing places and is located about 15 kilometers from Kalpetta
- Lakkidi viewpoint also figures on the Wayanad tourist map as a place to get some breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys
- The best time to visit Wayanad is between the months of October to May
- The distance from Mysore to Wayanad is about 130 kilometers while the distance from Bangalore to Wayanad is about 282 kilometers
- Kozhikode is the nearest railway station to Wayanad at a distance of about 110 kilometers
- The nearest airport to Wayanad is the Karipur International Airport at Kozhikode
Wayanad, Kerala Tourism
How To Get To Wayanad, Kerala
Book cheap flights, hotels, and cars on rent here.
Where To Stay When Visiting Wayanad Heritage Museum
If you are planning to visit Wayanad, Kerala, India, then you must be wondering where to stay in Wayanad, Kerala, India or the best hotels in Wayanad, Kerala, India. For best accommodation in Wayanad, Kerala, India, we recommend Booking.com or Skyscanner to save huge and get best deals on booking your stay in Wayanad. One should plan for a minimum of 3-4 days itinerary for Wayanad as there are many attractions to be experienced apart from the Wayanad Heritage Museum. There is no dearth of accommodation options which range from the pristine and luxurious Wayanad resorts to homestays and hostels. One can stay in Kalpetta or Sulthan Bathery or Vythiri and from there explore the Wayanad Heritage Museum. We stayed at a quaint villa in Vythiri amidst lush tea gardens.
Tours/Activities available in Kerala, India
Wayanad points of interest are many and if you are wondering what to see in Wayanad or what to do in Wayanad, then look no further. Kerala attractions pass are available for the best Kerala tours. You can now book tours in Wayanad as well as activities in Wayanad. Plan the best places to visit in Wayanad and experience Wayanad. Wayanad bus tour is always a great way to get a hang of the beautiful cities and towns and absorb its ethos.
Driving around Wayanad
If you are looking at getting the best deals on car rental in Wayanad, India, then look no further. You can rent a car in Bangalore or Mysore or Coimbatore to explore and experience amazing Kerala, and in and around areas and embark on a road trip of exploration and discovery of Kerala. If you have a valid Indian driving license then you could rent a self-drive car from Bangalore or Mysore or Coimbatore. Indeed one of the thrilling ways to get to Wayanad is by car, enjoying the beautiful landscapes on the way.
As you walk in silence through the galleries of the Wayanad Heritage Museum, you are transported to another time, a time which was the testing field of the ingenuity of man, a time that gave birth to countless sparks of brilliance that laid the foundation of life as we see today. The Wayanad Heritage Museum curates this fascinating peep into the past.
Hope you enjoyed reading this post and are eager to visit Wayanad Heritage Museum. We also hope that we have answered all your questions related to the museum.
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I love little local museums like this! I have a Masters degree in Museum Studies, so visiting historic places and heritage attractions is a must on every trip I take. This one looks like such a hidden gem!
I love visiting Museums and see a little piece of our history. It really is amazing that we have their artifacts to look back on. I love learning about different cultures so I hope to visit this one, one day.
What an amazing idea to sell a ticket for a camera. You know people sneak and take pictures anyway but this gives them the opportunity to get quality pictures. I wish all museums did this! I love bus tours! What a perfect way to see all the sights! I am not an international traveler very much but this looks like a great place to visit!
This place looks like a truly unique place to visit. I love touring museums and when traveling try to visit at least one. It is best if you can find a local museum because you can learn so much about the place you are visiting.
Wow thank you for the history and the information on culture! I am in love with the simplistic almost modern like architecture of the place!
I find it very interesting that they allow photos but you have to buy a ticket for the camera! Better than some places that do not allow photos at all though!
This sounds like a very interesting Museum in Kerala.
What an amazing museum this is. Love the ancient hero stones.
I love learning about history and different cultures. This looks like such an amazing museum to visit. I’m glad you had a good time, thanks for sharing!
I’m such a nerd for museums and learning local histories of new places. I have yet to visit India Something magical about walking through a doorway of history, and the Wayanad Heritage Museum looks like such a place
This museum sounds like it gives a great overview of the heritagge of Wayanad, both in terms of geography and cultural history as well.
this local museum sounds like such a gem and a peak into a rich history. The stones are so detailed and full of great stories. Thank you for sharing
WOW, how interesting! Look at all the history within the Wayanad Heritage Museum and the architecture is simply beautiful! I would be so excited to see some of these exhibits, I know my kids would be too. Seeing stone age musical instruments and kitchen utensils and their jewelry from back in those days would be the highlight of the day!
Kerala- “God’s own country” is on my travel list since long time. Wayanad Heritage Museum seems like a must visit place while in kerala. Adding to my Kerala itinerary!
Wow! so much of history in one place. Waynad to me was all about the much spoken wildlife sanctury and national parks, good to this other side of the hidden gem. Goes into my bucket list.
The engraved stones look fascinating. We missed this museum on our last visit to Wayanad but your post inspires me to visit it when we travel next to Kerala.
I visited Wayanad 5 years back and this post of yours brings out the old memories. Wayanad Heritage Museum has such rich history hidden in it. Though I usually run away from museums, this particular one intrigued me a lot. I specifically loved the 3rd gallery. Great post