There was a time when museums in Sri Lanka were known for being as old as the exhibits they kept within. Not so this time. The National Postal Museum took us by surprise. Everything from the hats postmen wore back in the days of Empire and antique telephones that put today’s minimalistic smartphones to shame are kept neatly on display in a well maintained, air conditioned section of the headquarters. Let’s not forget the collection of stamps upstairs for all you philatelists.
The Exhibits
The evolution of the Postman. We DID NOT get freaked out by the sudden shudder of a security guard behind the dummies.
Rather than being greeted by a group of old gentlemen mumbling
about how things were “”back in my day”” you’ll be greeted by dummies.
Yes. Dummies. The dummies exhibit the various attire postmen wore and
next to them in glass casings are the spears and batons they used to
protect themselves from wild animals and thieves in the past.
“”In case of emergency break glass.””
Yep. To say you were a postman back then was about the manliest and coolest
thing you could possibly say. You may get the occasional Indiana Jones
vibe downstairs with the old maps, photos and funky looking antique
motor bike. Stamp and history enthusiasts will enjoy their collection ranging from stamps celebrating the reign of King George VI to more recent ones which cover local fauna and wildlife. There’s even a handy bit of info on ancient communication methods in Sri Lanka.
Conclusion
The museum is well maintained and it’s a real shame that all this history goes unappreciated.
This might be a good place to drop by if you’re a student , history freak, or forbid- a stamp
collector who’ll value this rich period in Sri Lanka’s history.
