Colourful pageant heralds new museum gallery
The National Museum’s new gallery of ‘Textiles and Earthenware’ opened last week, fittingly enough with a historical costume pageant.
The new gallery was opened by National Heritage Minister, Dr. Jagath Balasooriya. Among the dignitaries present were the Acting Director of the National Museum, Dr. Saroja Wettasinghe, the CEO of HSBC Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Patrick Gallagher and former National Museum Director and present Secretary to the Minister of National Heritage Dr. Nanda Wickramasinghe.
HSBC has been funding the reconstruction of the museum galleries since 2004 and 12 galleries have been completed. “The reconstruction work done to bring our museum to international standards as well as its former glory is highly commendable,” said Dr. Balasooriya.
The historical costume pageant designed and choreographed by Senaka de Silva saw many stages in the country’s past from Ptolemy’s map to pre-historic Sri Lanka presented on the ramp.
The colonial powers had their turn with the costumes of Portuguese, Dutch and British times also represented. King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe with his escorts, Kandyan dancers and his Queen dressed in traditional handloom Kandyan saree completed an enjoyable and educative pageant.
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