This is Sri Lanka’s only such museum and it has been set up by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage.

The Maritime Archaeological Museum, previously established in Galle, was completely destroyed by the Tsunami disaster on December 26, 2004 and the present museum was established after renovating an old building constructed during the Dutch era and situated within the historic Rampart of Galle.

The 40,000 square feet museum was built under a special grant of Rs.177 million made by the Government of the Netherlands.

While marine artefacts discovered in explorations made in the ocean floor around Sri Lanka are displayed in this museum, about 400 artefacts discovered from the remains of ships sunk in the ocean nearly 800 years ago are exhibited here, the Island reported.