50. 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐱 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐰𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 (on Kandy, Sri Lanka

𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐱 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐰𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 (on Kandy, Sri Lanka – July 18, 2025)

𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐱 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐱 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 — 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬, 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐬, 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬.

This is not just a museum — it’s a living tribute to our last kingdom, to our people, and to our spirit.

It's a major milestone in Sri Lanka’s cultural preservation efforts has been achieved with the opening of the country’s first heritage-focused wax museum, located within the historic Ehelepola Walawwa in Kandy. This museum is the first of its kind in the country dedicated to showcasing the life, culture, and legacy of the Kandyan era through life-sized wax sculptures and curated exhibits.

𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

The museum is housed in the Ehelepola Walawwa, once the noble residence of Ehelepola Maha Adikaram, a high-ranking official during the last days of the Kandyan Kingdom. During the colonial period, the Walawwa was converted into a prison, remaining under the Department of Prisons until it was recently transferred to the Urban Development Authority and handed over to the Sri Dalada Maligawa following a Rs. 150 million renovation.

This transformation from a colonial-era prison back to a cultural landmark marks a symbolic and meaningful step in reviving the island’s historical identity.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦

The Kandy Wax Museum features life-size wax figures of 36 prominent personalities from Sri Lanka’s royal, religious, and colonial past — including kings, queens, revered monks, and freedom fighters. Beyond individual figures, the museum offers a broader glimpse into the architecture, customs, cuisine, industries, and traditional arts of the Kandyan Kingdom.

Designed to be both immersive and educational, the museum allows visitors to journey through the richness of Kandyan heritage in a visually engaging and interactive setting.

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐡: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐰𝐚

This museum is more than just wax figures — it's built on a powerful piece of our nation's past.

Originally the home of Ehelepola Maha Adikaram (1773–1829), a top official under King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, this site holds deep historical weight. After the execution of his wife and children by the king, Ehelepola sided with the British, a decision that led to the end of the Kandyan Kingdom and the signing of the Kandyan Convention in 1815.

In the aftermath, the British turned this sacred residence into a prison, where many Sinhala nobles and Buddhist leaders were held and executed — including Keppetipola Nilame and Madugalle Nilame.

𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 & 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

The project was conceptualized by Atula Herath, a Gampola-based heritage artist, with the goal of creating a meaningful cultural and educational hub. Unlike the Colombo Wax Museum (formerly ATMA Lanka), which focuses on international and celebrity figures, the Ehelepola Wax Museum is deeply rooted in Sri Lanka’s historical and spiritual legacy.

𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞

Inside, you’ll find a themed restaurant offering Kandyan-inspired meals, reimagining royal dining with local flavour. Come hungry — leave feeling royal.

𝐀 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭-𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬

As of July 18, 2025, this is one of only two wax museums in Sri Lanka — and the only one dedicated to heritage and history. The museum is expected to draw both local and international visitors, serving as a cultural attraction and an educational center that brings Sri Lanka’s royal past to life.

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

Location: Ehelepola Walawwa, near Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy

Entry Fees: [To be announced]

Opening Hours: [To be announced]

How to get there: Easily accessible via Kandy city center, walking distance from Temple of the Tooth

This new Wax Museum is not just a tourist stop — it's a living tribute to Sri Lanka's resilience, identity, and heritage. Don’t miss the chance to explore it on your next visit to Kandy, the heart of Sri Lanka’s cultural legacy.