National Maritime Museum

Housed in a Dutch warehouse from 1676, this museum displays artifacts from shipwrecks around Galle including Chinese porcelain, Dutch coins, and navigation equipment. The collection covers maritime trade history from Portuguese arrival through British colonial period. Interactive displays explain underwater archaeology methods used in Sri Lankan waters. It sits below the headline sights but earns its place on a longer visit to Galle, especially paired with nearby Dutch Reformed Church.

You'll examine centuries-old Chinese ceramics and Dutch coins recovered from the ocean floor while learning how monsoon winds shaped trading routes. The thick stone walls of the 1676 warehouse keep the interior cool as you explore display cases filled with navigation instruments and trade goods.

Discover treasures from shipwrecks that tell the story of Galle's role as a major Indian Ocean trading port. It is not the first thing you should see in Galle, but with two or more days it fills a gap the major sights leave. It pairs naturally with Dutch Reformed Church and Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct - together they fill a solid half-day. Mornings are quieter if you want to take your time.

It is in the Galle Fort part of Galle. See where it ranks among the things to do in Galle. The Galle guide covers transport, costs and when to go.

We plan trips to Galle and the rest of Sri Lanka. Tell us your dates and we will put a route together. Our routes are on the tours page.