Hill Palace Museum - the erstwhile official residence of the Kochi Royal Family, is presently acknowledged as the largest archaeological museum in Kerala. Built around 1850, the Palace is located at Thripunithura, on the Ernakulam- Chottanikkara route, about 12 kms from Kochi. The Hill Palace complex houses 49 buildings built in traditional Kerala style of architecture spread over 52 acres of finely terraced picturesque land dotted with ponds, fountains, lawns and a beautiful deer park.
We at Tourtoindia recommend you to visit Hill Palace Museum - an ethno archaeological museum, which is a major tourist destination in Kerala, and also the first Heritage museum in the state.
The Department of Archaeology took over the Hill Palace in 1980 and later converted it into a museum. The Hill Palace Museum opened for visitors in 1986. Set atop a hillock amidst lush greenery, the museum displays an immensely vast array of artifacts including paintings, murals, sculpture in stone and plaster of Paris, manuscripts, inscriptions, carvings, to name a few. The exhibits are mainly from the Travancore Royal House, Paliam Devaswom and the Department of Archaeology.
Items on display at Hill Palace Museum include a gold coin embedded with precious stones, priceless coins, ornaments, huge beds, and epigraphic collections. Also exhibited are antique pieces of pottery and ceramic vases from China and Japan, Kudakkallu (tomb stone), Thoppikkallu (hood stone), menhirs, granite, laterite memorials, stone age rock-cut weapons, wooden temple models, plaster cast models of objects from Mohanjodaro and Harappa - the famous sites of prehistoric Indus Valley civilization. There is a gallery which showcases works of contemporary art.
One of the major attractions of Hill Palace Museum is the gallery of cabinet Hall which has, on display, royal furniture including the 'Simhasana' (the king's throne). Some of the other galleries exhibiting objects of their own kind include the numismatic gallery, Portrait gallery, Wood Carvings gallery, weapon gallery, Bronze and metal ware Gallery, porcelain Gallery, Epigraphy Gallery, Chariots Gallery, Folklore and Folk Arts gallery and crown and jewelry Gallery among others.
The Heritage museum at Hill Palace displays traditional household utensils, artifacts and religious items.
Another important feature of Hill Palace Museum is its varied flora including the rare medicinal plants that grow here. The botanical garden within the museum complex is replete with a remarkable variety of tropical trees from Central America to Australia. The venue offers facilities for horse-riding too.
Visiting hours: Open from 9 am to 12.30 pm; 2 pm to 4.30pm.
Closed on Mondays and National Holidays
How to reach Hill Palace Museum:
Nearest railway station: At Ernakulam, about 10 km away.
Nearest airports: Cochin International Airport, about 30 km.
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