Ehelepola Walawwa Wax Museum
Discover the rich history of the Kandyan Kingdom at the Ehelepola Walawwa Wax Museum in Kandy, featuring 35 lifelike wax figures and traditional exhibits.
Planning your visit
The Ehelepola Walawwa is a Kandyan aristocratic mansion with a grim history attached: it belonged to Ehelepola Nilame, a chief minister who fell out with the last king of Kandy, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, and fled. In 1814 the king had Ehelepola's wife and children executed in retribution — an atrocity that turned the Kandyan chiefs against him and contributed directly to the British takeover the following year.
The wax museum inside uses 35 lifelike figures to present the Kandyan kingdom: court life, royal customs, traditional crafts and dress, and episodes from the kingdom's history including its fall in 1815, which ended more than two thousand years of Sinhalese monarchy.
Wax museums vary in quality and this one is modest by international standards, but the building and the history give it substance the figures alone would not.
Kandy's Temple of the Tooth is the main draw in the city, and this sits within reach of it. Allow an hour. The main booking is an entry ticket. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Ehelepola Walawwa Wax Museum?
Ehelepola Walawwa Wax Museum is in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
How long should I allow for Ehelepola Walawwa Wax Museum?
Allow an hour. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Ehelepola Walawwa Wax Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
