General Information about Kovlam.

Kuthiramalika Palace Museum

Kuthiramalika Palace Museum, a classic specimen of Kerala Architecture is situated in 'Kuthiramalika'.

The palace, with its excellent carvings and amazing architectural designs, is by itself a slice of heritage. The museum has a wide range of exhibits representing the erstwhile state of Travancore.

The Kuthiramalika Palace was built by His Highness the Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma of Travancore. The Palace museum adorned with paintings and amusing collections of the erstwhile royal family. It is an example of Travancore style of architecture.

Artifacts On Display
The Museum displays the paintings and various priceless collections of the royal family.

The Paintings and other curios offer a rare glimpse into the private lives of the members of the royal family. The first room of the palace houses 14 life-size figures depicting various scenes from the Kerala legends and Kathakali.

Magnificent ivory cots, thrones of kings, a musical tree that produces the eight 'swaras' when tapped, etc are a few of the attractions of the museum.
 
Neyyar Dam

Neyyar is well known for Neyyar Dam is a popular picnic sport with a lake and a picturesque dam site. Neyyar has some of the rarest medicinal herbs in Kerala. The lake formed by the dam across the Neyyar river is the bluest of blue, making boating irresistible for tourists.

The Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary of which the dam is a part is the habitat of over a hundred rare species of fauna including elephants, wild buffaloes, wild boar, porcupines, tigers and a variety of snakes. A crocodile breeding centre and a lion safari park are also located in the dam site.

How to Reach
Road: There is motorable road to the dam site which is well connected by regular bus services from Thiruvananthapuram city.
Nearest railway station : Thiruvananthapuram, about 32 km away.
Nearest airport : Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 38 km.

Napier Museum complex
A visit to the Napier Museum complex reveals a glimpse of Kerala's rich cultural heritage. An exceptional piece of architecture, the Museum is named after the former Madras Governor General John Napier. The Napier Museum is also called the Government Art Museum.

The Museum building is a combination of the Kerala, Mughal, Chinese and Italian architectural styles. Built by the 19th century British architect Chisholm, it has a unique natural air-conditioning system. A veritable treasure house for connoisseurs of art, the intriguingly eclectic collection of bronzes, historic ornaments, ivory carvings and chariots, it is the pride of this place.

The Sree Chitra Art Gallery features a rare collection of paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and Roerich among others, and fascinating works from the Mughal, Rajput and Tanjore schools of art. An oriental collection consisting of paintings from China, Japan, Tibet and Bali offers a visual treat and are a tribute to the art and culture of these countries.

Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Thiruvananthapuram central,  about 2 km.
Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 6 km from the city.
Location:
Both  Museum and  Art Gallery are  situated in the Napier  Museum  compound,   right in the  heart of  the city, near the   zoological park.
Visiting Hours: 
Open  from   10:00  am  t o  5:00 pm  on  all days except    Mondays   and    Wednesday   forenoon.

General Information

Admission Fees
Entry fee is Rs. 10 per head. Photography is not permitted within the building
Timings
The Palace and Museum is open to visitors on all days except Monday from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 3 to 5.30 p.m.
Location
Near The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram

◄ BACK