In the basement of the Independence Memorial Monument is a Museum that rekindles the memories of our historic journey to Independence.  It has a wealth of information in relation to the landmark historical developments, the great efforts and the sacrifices of our national heroes in regaining Independence from the British.

As Sri Lanka commemorated its 67th Independence Day celebrations on February 4 this year, the Funday Times explored this significant place of interest which lies at the heart of Independence Square in Colombo 7. The main gallery of the Museum offers an insight into our historic Independence.

It particularly gives a great deal of information about the national heroes who were involved in the Independence struggle. The Museum has a series of display boards depicting the names, images and information of the political leaders, clergy and the lay patriots who were at the centre of this national struggle such as,Veera Puran Appu, Gongalegoda Banda, Monerawila Keppitipola Disawe, Ponnambalam Arunachalam, Siddi Lebbe, Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, T. B. Jayah, Philip Gunawardena, Dr. N. M. Perera, Anagarika Dharmapala, Walisinghe Harischandra, Col. Henry Steel Olcott, Ven Wariyapola
Sri Sumangala Thero,
Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda
Thero, Ven. Hikkaduwe
Sri Sumangala Thero among many other national heroes. Interestingly, the centre of the main Museum Gallery features
27 statues of these eminent leaders and patriots who have made an enormous contribution to the national struggle.
A prominent activist who led
the Independent Movement,
D. S. Senanayake occupies a
significant place in the
Museum with a special display compartment dedicated to exhibiting some of the items he used – the telephone, walking stick, letter rack and paper weight.
The Museum also captures how the revival of art, literature and language led to Independence with special display boards showcasing the images on publications, historical novels
and paintings of those like
Martin Wickramasinghe, Kumaratunga Munidasa,
R. L. Brohier, W. A. Silva,
S. Mahinda Thero and
George Keyt.
In addition to exhibiting the arms and weapons used for the Independence struggle, the Museum highlights some of the landmark developments in history in the run up to Independence, through snapshots and descriptive accounts.
You find pictures and line drawings of the Uva Rebellion, the English battalion that clamped down the Rebellion, the Declaration of Martial Law by the British, the Declaration against Keppetipola and combatants as rebels, the Gazette notification declaring punishment for the rebel chief Keppetipola, the historical Kandyan Convention, information on the Colebrooke-Cameron Report on Constitutional Reforms,
the Donoughmore Commission Report, the photo of the
First Cabinet of 1931, photos of the Parliament opening in 1947, Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers of 1947, information
on Constitutional reforms
in 1972, photos of the

Non-Aligned Conference, newspaper clippings
reporting about the gaining
of independence etc.
Meanwhile the Museum has a special gallery that pays homage to all the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives during the three decade long civil war in Sri Lanka. Titled the War Heroes Commemoration Gallery it has their life accounts written on palm manuscripts and preserved for posterity.
The public can access the Museum from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., from Tuesday to Saturday by obtaining a nominal entrance ticket. The Museum is closed on Sundays, Mondays and special public holidays.

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