Colombo National Museum
The Colombo Museum as it was called at the beginning was established on 1st January 1877. It founder was Sir William Henry Gregory, the British Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the time.
The Royal Asiatic Society (CB) was instrumental in bringing to the notice of Gregory on his appointment as Governor in 1872 the need for a public museum with much difficulty the approval of the legislative council was obtained within a year.
The Architect of the Public Works Department, J.G. Smither was able to prepare the plans for new structure on Italian architectural style. The construction was completed in 1876 and the Museum commenced it functions in the following year.
The Authorities of the museum took various steps to display the cultural and natural heritage of the country for this purpose.
With the development of the museum to international level, it earned the status of a national museum during the period of Dr. P. E. P. Deraniyagala. He was able to open up branch museums in Jaffna, Kandy and Ratnapura and a full - fledged Department of National Museums was established in 1942 under the act No. 31. The extension of the number of branch museums has now increased to nine and in addition a school science programme and a mobile museum service are also in operation.
This process has further been improved by the arrangement of the galleries of the ground floor in a historical sequence and those of the upper galleries on a thematic basis.
Olu Ella is the 6th tallest waterfall in the country and the tallest in the Kegalle District. This is also the highest waterfall in connected to the Kelani River.
The source of the waterfall is Wee Oya originating from the 1200 meter Baranawa mountain which later connects to Welihel Oya in the Parusella area and then on to the Kelani River at Yatiyanthota.
The waterfall is 18 meters wide, 127 meters tall and falls in 4 segments. Even though you can drive up to this majestic waterfall without any walking, this has eluded the casual traveler due to its remote location. Therefore this is one waterfall which has not turned in to a garbage dump of the tourists yet.
The waterfall is bisected by the road which goes to Seepoth. An ancient wooden bridge lies across the Wee Oya. This wooden bridge has been made during the colonial era to transport tea leaves and it is said be the oldest wooden bridge in use in the country today.
The Lanka Council of Waterfalls who have identified and listed down 382 waterfalls in the country has listed this waterfall under Galle District by mistake. This mistake is now duplicated on hundreds of web sites across the Internet. Kegalle and Galle are completely two different districts and don’t plan to visit Olu Falls during your next visit to Galle
