Located down Prince Street, in the thick of the busy trading quarter of Colombo, the Dutch Period Museum holds a treasure trove of artifacts and information relating to the Dutch colonial period between 1640 and 1796. Aptly housed in possibly the only surviving Dutch-style house in the Pettah region, the building exhibits architecture characteristic of the era with verandas supported by tall round pillars, opening out into a traditional central garden courtyard. The building was once the home of a Dutch governor, a seminary, and an orphanage, and had also been used as a post office. Within, its galleries feature heavy Dutch period furniture, ceramics, coins, and a collection of weapons as well as a glimpse of the life and culture of the times.

Written by Jonathan Roelofsz for Travel Lanka Compass