National Museum of Natural History, Colombo

The National Art Gallery in Colombo, Sri Lanka was the first state-sponsored art gallery built in the country.The gallery is located in Cinnamon Gardens near the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, Viharamahadevi Park, the National Museum of Colombo, the Town Hall, Colombo and Colombo Public Library.The building consists of a three wing gallery space: the main gallery has a permanent collection of portraits and landscapes and the two adjoining wings display temporary exhibitions by Sri Lankan artists. The eastern hall is approximately 32.9 m × 9.8 m (108 ft × 32 ft) and the western hall is approximately about 20.7 m × 9.4 m (68 ft × 31 ft). Both galleries have a 5.5 m (18 ft) ceiling height. In 1911 the need for a national art gallery was first identified by the Ceylon Society of Arts and the Arts Council of Ceylon however its construction was delayed until after World War 1. The central gallery was completed and opened in March 1932. The building was designed by Gate Mudliyar A. C. G. S. Amarasekara. In 1952 the gallery was placed under the control of the Department of Cultural Affairs. In June 2013, the gallery's collection was reported to be in a very poor state of repair.

The Colombo National Museum, also known as the Sri Lanka National Museum, is a museum in Colombo and the largest in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1877 and maintained by the Department of National Museums, it holds collections of significant importance to Sri Lanka, such as the regalia of the Kandyan monarchs, as well as many other exhibits relating the country's cultural and natural heritage.

The Nelum Pokuna Theatre (Sinhala: නෙළුම් පොකුණ මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ රඟහල, nelum pokuna rangahala; often known as Nelum Pokuna; previously the National Performing Arts Theatre, prior to naming at the opening ceremony after which the President Mahinda Rajapaksa named it after himself) is a performing arts centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The theatre opened on 15 December 2011.

Viharamahadevi Park (Sinhala: විහාරමහාදේවී උද්‍යානය; formerly Victoria Park, Sinhala: වික්ටෝරියා පාක්) is a public park located in Cinnamon Gardens, in Colombo, situated in front of the colonial-era Town Hall in Sri Lanka. It was built by the British colonial administration and is the oldest and largest park of Colombo. The park was originally named "Victoria Park" after Queen Victoria but was renamed after Queen Viharamahadevi, the mother of King Dutugamunu on July 18, 1958.During World War II it was occupied by the British Army with Australian 17th Brigade based at Victoria Park. After the war the park was restored and open to the public in 1951. There used to be a cricket ground in the park, which was used for first-class cricket between 1927 and 1995. Ceylon played against a touring English team there in 1927 and against an Australian team in 1935. The park features include a huge Buddha statue which replaced the statue of Queen Victoria which originally stood there, and a series of water fountains. It also includes a mini zoo, a children's play area and a BAC Jet Provost. There are Muscovy ducks in the park. They swim in the artificial lake and walk on the grass beside it.Viharamahadevi Park is the only large-scale public park in Colombo, and is maintained by the Colombo Municipal Council. Located at its western end is the Cenotaph War Memorial, Colombo and the Colombo Public Library. The Vihara Maha Devi Park Open Air Stadium is a venue for concerts and public events.

National Library and Documentation Services Board is the agency of the government of Sri Lanka which helps maintains all state libraries around the country including the Colombo Library but the management of individual libraries in cities and towns are carried out by the Municipal Council. The National Library and Documentation Services Board was established under the act No: 51 of 1998 succeeding the Sri Lanka National Library Services Board which was established in 1970. The board is placed under the Ministry of Education. The present Board of Directors consists of 11 members including a full-time Chairman. The Director General is the chief executive and secretary of the Board.

The Srawasthi Mandiraya is the primary office complex of the Western Provincial Council, located in Cinnamon Gardens, a suburb of Colombo. Built in 1913, it saw use for most of its lifetime as a hostel for Members of Parliament from outside Colombo who were attending Parliamentary sittings. It is located along Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha (formerly Edinburgh Crescent).

The Cenotaph War Memorial in Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo, Sri Lanka is a war memorial dedicated to the military personnel from Ceylon killed in action during the two world wars. It was designed by the architect Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens. It comprises a towering Cenotaph and Memorial Walls. The foundation stone was laid by Brigadier General Sir William Henry Manning, Governor of Ceylon on December 7, 1921, and was unveiled by him October 27, 1923 at the Galle Face Green and was known as the Victory tower. It was dismantled and re-erected at Victoria Park, during World War II after fears that the Japanese might use it as a marker to direct their artillery. The Cenotaph contains the names of those killed in the Great War, while the Memorial Wall behind it maintains the names of those killed in the Second World War. A single woman, Miss L. Midwood is listed among the dead of the Great War. An annual National Service of Remembrance is held at the site on Remembrance Sunday, the closest Sunday to 11 November (Armistice Day) each year.

The Lionel Wendt Art Centre is a major art centre and theatre in Colombo, Sri Lanka, dedicated to the memory of Sri Lankan photographic artist Lionel Wendt. It combines live theatre and art exhibition, with two exhibition galleries and two theatres. It is managed by a trust established by an Act of Parliament.

Cinnamon Gardens (Sinhala: කුරුඳු වත්ත Kurundu Vaththa, Tamil: கறுவாத் தோட்டம்) is an affluent neighbourhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka located 3 kilometers south-east from Colombo's centre. Cinnamon Gardens is named from the former cinnamon plantation in this area. In the year 1789, there were 289 acres (1.17 km2) of cinnamon trees in the gardens. At present, Cinnamon Gardens is the location of the Prime Minister's Office, Independence Hall, Colombo Town Hall and National Museum as well as numerous foreign embassies and high commissions, located down streets lined with fine trees and mansions that are home to the country's elite.It is also the location of the Colombo Department of Meteorology and its observatory.

Ladies' College is a private girls' school in Colombo, Sri Lanka, founded on behalf of the Church Missionary Society by Lilian Nixon in 1900. The school is managed by the Anglican Church of Ceylon, and falls under the Diocese of Colombo.

The Town Hall of Colombo (Sinhala: කොළඹ නගර ශාලාව, Tamil: நகர மண்டபம், கொழும்பு) is the headquarters of the Colombo Municipal Council and the office of the mayor of Colombo. Built in front of the Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo, Sri Lanka, it is the meeting place for the elected municipal council. In 1921 renowned Scottish town planner Professor Patrick Geddes recommended that the Council should construct a large central and dignified municipal building to house the council, a public reception hall, the mayor's office and a public library. The need for the Colombo Public Library was addressed by a philanthropic donation of a building by Dr. W. Arthur Silva in 1925. This building, Sirinivasa, is now the official residence of the mayor. In 1922 the Colombo Municipal Council held an international architectural design competition and in November that year of the 32 plans submitted, the winning design was drawn by S. J. Edwards, of the architectural firm Ralph Booty & Co. In awarding the prize the Government Architect of the Ceylon Public Works Department, Austin Woodeson, wrote: "The buildings are admirably laid out on the site; the outbuildings are well secluded, but very accessible. The main building stands out prominently and would command pleasing views from all angles. The connecting roads are well laid out. The details and plans are excellently drawn, and illustrate in an artistic manner a most striking and effective design." "The connecting roads are well laid out. On the ground floor the corridors are straightforward, direct and well lighted. The general disposition of the departments and rooms is excellent and most convenient for access, circulation and inter-communicable both for the public and staff. On the upper floors, the offices are admirably arranged. The Council chamber is a magnificent apartment with ample accommodation for the public provided in an elevated gallery." "This provision gains many favourable points for this design. The elevations are very dignified and refined. The perspective view shows a very impressive group of buildings crowned by a dome and tower of fine proportions. The details and plans are excellently drawn, and illustrate in an artistic manner a most striking and effective design." The foundation stone for the town hall was laid on 24 May 1924, by the Mayor of Colombo, Thomas Reid, CCS. The construction of the building was undertaken by A. A. Gammon & Co and four years later on 9 August 1928 it was formally opened by the Governor Sir Herbert Stanley KCMG. The cost of the new town hall was met largely by revenue generated by the Council, without taking out any loans from the central government and as a result, for years Municipal finances were depleted.

The Department of National Archives (Sinhala: ජාතික ලේඛනාරක්ෂණ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව jāthika lēkhanārakshana depārthamēnthuwa) is a government department in Sri Lanka which is the repository of the non-current records of the Government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters of the National Archives is situated along Reid Avenue in close proximity to Independence square, Colombo and has a branch office in Kandy.