National Museum of Natural History, Natural history museum in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The National Museum of Natural History in Colombo holds over 5,000 mammal specimens, Jurassic-period indigenous fossils and geological rocks from Sri Lanka. It is the only museum in the country dedicated to natural history and natural heritage, and it stands close to the National Museum of Colombo.

The museum was founded in 1986 and became the country's primary institution for presenting natural heritage and environmental science. Its establishment came during a period of growing interest in preserving and scientifically documenting Sri Lanka's natural resources.

The museum's cultural role centres on Sri Lanka's own species: it displays plants and animals that are rare or threatened with extinction, alongside endemic species found nowhere else. The collection holds over 5,000 mammal specimens, so visitors can compare the island's mammals side by side.

The museum is located in Colombo and is open to visitors on most days, though it helps to check current hours before your visit. Access may be limited in some areas, so it is worth asking about accessibility when you arrive.

The museum holds over 5,000 mammal specimens, alongside Jurassic-period indigenous fossils and geological rock samples from across Sri Lanka. It opened on 23 September 1986 and remains the only museum on the island devoted to natural history and natural heritage.