Historical Mansion Museum
Historical Mansion Museum
3.5
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3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles170 reviews
Excellent
36
Very good
62
Average
44
Poor
18
Terrible
10

jeff1955malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia5,283 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Friends
Was walking to the bell tower saw this museum by the side. I didnt have time to go inside the meseum. There was a courtyard with some old items.
Written 10 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

N!li
Old Peradeniya, Sri Lanka598 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
Not exactly a museum per se. They have a good collection of antiques in that place though. They do sell gem stones, jewellery etc. It’s basically a jewellery store in disguise.
Written 8 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Terry M
Hamilton, Canada4,647 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
A quirky place, the museum to some might be a hodgepodge of this and that but the eclectic collection of Abdul Gaffer, a wealthy gentleman, is worth a visit. The currency from around the world was noteworthy for its breadth. Some of the porcelain, including pieces from China, are rather fine. There is no admission charge but donations are accepted. The museum is in a colonial Dutch house, its central courtyard a highlight of the visit. It is located on Leyn Baan Street. If so inclined, you can even do some shopping while there.
Written 8 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rambling R
Melbourne, Australia124 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
I loved our visit Historical Mansion Museum. We were met at the door by one of the docents, who told us lively stories about Galle and the museum itself. Since it's a private collection, it is an interesting view of domestic life in Galle. Outside, in the courtyard, the well dating from the late 1700s provides crystal-clear water. My husband not only showed his skills at collecting water, but tasted it as well. This free space is well worth visiting when you are in Galle.
Written 29 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dan L
Bunbury, Australia7,494 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
Great to find this classic old colonial Dutch mansion fully restored and showcasing artefacts of yesteryear while at the front of the building there is a jewelry/gems store located. The building is privately owned and a great series of photographs show the dilapidated condition prior to restoration in 1988. Definitely worth viewing the old crockery, silver salvers, swords and other artefacts. My wife enjoyed seeing the lacemaking using traditional methods, we wondered how the lady kept track of the bobbins such was the speed of her fingers. The courtyard displays a replica of an old well and, located at the front, a marker stone inscribed VOC 1763. Profits from the jewelry outlet support the owner and his family and also go towards the upkeep of the property. Free entry to the building and no hassles as we departed through the store.
Written 21 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Clive R
Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK1,829 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2019 • Couples
Wandered in thinking it might be interesting but suddenly found ourselves being shown a lot of stuff that simply didn’t interest us. As we were only in Galle for a couple of days and had better things to do we made a swift exit.

Having said that it would appeal to some people so it is only my opinion.
Written 18 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SMQ1_14
Nha Trang, Vietnam43 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2019 • Couples
We were actually quite keen to see a bit of the history of Galle/Sri Lanka (especially when it's not a massive museum, and when it's free) and quite enjoyed walked around and seeing the old stuff - typewriters, bottles, ivory and ebony carvings, knifes, anchors, all colonial looking stuff.... you get the picture.

Unfortunately there were no labels on anything, nor signage or order as to the displays.

It wasn't until the guy following us around ushered us towards the brand spanking new gem stores located inside that we realised how this place made money. We didn't experience *too* hard a sell, but it was pretty repetitive, "here are the rings, bracelets, necklaces..." and "I'll take them out, you can try one" etc. We politely declined and left.

Summary - worth 5-10 minutes to see the old stuff, but be prepared for a sales pitch on gems afterwards. If you're a historian, this might be a total waste of time as it would all be junk/fake (but we are not able to tell!)
Written 13 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

footloosemary
Asheville, NC13 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019 • Solo
Soon after I walked in, a man explained this was a personal collection of a gem merchant. There was no admission charge to the house, but the displays were mostly old pots, china, medical supplies, etc. Several rooms were set up to sell jewelry. So its not set up like a historical home at all.
Written 26 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Adrian P
Noosa, Australia1,190 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2019 • Couples
This museum is one man's collection and there is an amazingly eclectic combination of things, with a leaning towards Dutch items.
Written 24 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joy M
Stratham, NH62 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2019
The museum is in a historic building and is pretty much collections of items in cases and on the walls. There are also several craftspeople creating items they wanted us to buy. Low key sales pitch was easy to walk away from.
Written 14 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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HISTORICAL MANSION MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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