The Department of National Museums (DNM) of Sri Lanka serves as a vital institution connecting tangible and intangible heritage to the public, inspiring discovery, and creativity, and promoting cultural and natural values. With a mission to provide meaningful museum services and a vision to become the leading museum service provider in South Asia by 2035, the DNM is committed to the acquisition, documentation, and scientific preservation of artifacts and specimens reflecting Sri Lanka’s rich cultural and natural heritage.
From 2023 to 2027, the DNM has set several key fiscal priorities to enhance its role further and reach. These include delivering strong attendance results for the 150th-anniversary celebrations of the Colombo National Museum, accelerating its digital strategy to stay relevant in a mobile-connected world amidst growing competitioną¶½ increasing awareness of and access to research and collections, refining exhibition strategies to broaden appeal, enhancing school group attendance to fulfill its educational mission, and increasing annual revenue. It is responsible for collecting, documenting, and preserving artifacts and specimens across fields such as archaeology, anthropology, botany, zoology, entomology, and geology. It provides a robust research service through the National Museum Library, which houses some of the oldest preserved books and manuscripts in Sri Lanka. The department also conducts and publishes research, reprints rare books, and offers educational programs, workshops, and seminars to promote knowledge in related fields. Furthermore, the DNM acts as a resource institution for university students and higher education institutions, provides consultancy services for museum setups by external agencies, and contributes to national income by promoting museum visits both locally and internationally.