National Museum of the Maldives

About this place

The national museum of the Maldives first opened on 11 November 1952; today it occupies a modern building designed, built and donated by the Chinese government, opened on Independence Day, 26 July 2010. It stands in the grounds of Sultan Park, part of the site of the old royal palace dating back to the 17th century. Its halls show the sultans' thrones, royal sunshades and furniture, ceremonial costumes, turbans, embroidered slippers and belts, coins, ornaments, arms and armour. Among the highlights are a 13th-century engraved wooden plank from the Old Friday Mosque and a textile worn by Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu in the 16th century, a fine example of Maldivian weaving. The displays also cover traditional Maldivian crafts, among them lacquered boxes painted in black, red and gold, woven mats and embroidery, alongside old ceramic plates, handwritten Qurans and a model of a traditional house with a thatched roof. The museum opens Saturday to Thursday, 10:00 to 16:00, and closes on Fridays; Saturdays were added in May 2026, according to the Maldivian press. The foreign visitor ticket is about 10 US dollars per visitor guides, usually paid by card, so check before you go. One to two hours is enough.