Pazhassiraja Museum and Art Gallery

The Pazhassiraja Museum and Art Gallery is an archaeological museum located in the historic East Hill Bungalow, built in 1812 during British colonial rule. Named after Pazhassi Raja, known as the Lion of Kerala, the museum showcases artifacts from 1000 BC to 200 AD including megalithic relics, ancient coins, murals, and sculptures. The adjacent art gallery features paintings by renowned artist Raja Ravi Varma.

Visitors can explore a collection of historical artifacts spanning from the megalithic age through the Indus Valley civilization period. The museum displays ancient pottery, toys, stone and metal sculptures, burial urns, umbrella stones (megalithic tomb monuments), temple models, and war weapons used by British and French soldiers. The adjacent art gallery houses paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and his uncle Raja Raja Varma. The building itself is a heritage structure that once served as the official residence of British Collectors of Malabar.

The museum building was constructed in 1812 as the East Hill Bungalow under Thomas Harvey Babur, the Malabar Collector of the British East India Company. It served as the official residence of British Collectors of Malabar for many decades. The building was converted into an archaeological museum in 1976 and renamed in 1980 after Pazhassi Raja (Kerala Varma), who led fierce resistance against British colonial forces in the late 18th century using guerrilla warfare tactics in the Wayanad hills. Pazhassi Raja was killed in an encounter on November 30, 1805.

The museum preserves and exhibits Kerala's rich archaeological and cultural heritage, including megalithic monuments unique to the region such as umbrella stones (kudakkallu) which were burial sites of ancient tribal rulers. The art gallery showcases works by Raja Ravi Varma, whose paintings brought international recognition to Kerala's artistic traditions.