The Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs is exploring ways to use the country’s museums to promote tourism and improve their financial performance.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (&), Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer said the Ministry had acknowledged concerns over the financial losses incurred by museums and had begun discussions on possible solutions. “We are looking at ways of using these resources to strengthen the tourism sector. Discussions are still ongoing on how best this can be done,” he said.
The issue came into focus after reports that Sri Lanka’s 11 national museums coming under the purview of the Department of Museums cost the State more than Rs. 4.5 billion to maintain over the past 11 years, while generating less than Rs. 740 million in revenue during the same period.
The network of national museums includes the national museums in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, and Ratnapura, the National Museum of Natural History in Colombo, the Dutch Museum in Colombo, the Independence Memorial Museum in Colombo, the Maritime Museum in Galle, the Folk Museum in Anuradhapura, the Ancient Technology Museum in Polonnaruwa, and the Magampura Ruhunu Heritage Museum in Hambantota.
