The National Art Gallery of Colombo is located on Ananda Coomaraswamy Avenue in the artistic district of the city. The wide open spaces surrounding it are actually rather pleasant both to see and to walk on, especially if one is searching for a good place to start their cultural journey. In the hinterland, one notices the Viharamahadevi Park, Lionel Wendt Theater, and a number of other places for one to get in touch with the beauty of modern Sri Lanka and its artistic soul. The building of the National Art Gallery is rectangular and white with a gold trim surrounding the edges. What it lacks in soaring height, it more than makes up for in beauty and spaciousness. The building is basically divided into an eastern and western hall. It is constructed in a style that is remarkably similar to conventional Dutch colonial architecture.

If one wishes to book a reservation at the gallery, one needs simply contact the Department of Cultural Affairs’ Art Division. Plus, if one wishes to hold an exhibition, one needs to contact the Municipal Council of Colombo, as well as the Sri Lankan Arts Council. If you want to see art in its truest form, it is one of the finest places to visit in Sri Lanka.

Written by Vasika Udurawane for Travel Lanka Compass