Economic History Museum

Location in central Colombo
Established	2013[1]
Location	54 Chatham Street, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Coordinates	6°56′04.3″N 79°50′35.0″E / 6.934528°N 79.843056°E / 6.934528; 79.843056
Type	Currency
Website	Museum website

Economic History Museum of Sri Lanka (commonly known as the Currency museum or Money museum) is located in the Central Point building, 54 Chatham Street, Colombo Fort (the head office of Central Bank of Sri Lanka).

Construction of the building commenced in 1911, with the laying of its foundation stone. The National Mutual Building was opened in 1914, as the Colombo head office of a global insurance company, National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Limited. At the time of its opening it was the tallest building in Colombo.^[2] It was designed in a Greco-Roman architectural style, with a colonnade of Corinthian columns at the building's entrance. It has a circular glass dome with a tapering central atrium that lets light into the circular inner halls throughout all seven floors and features the tallest chandelier in Asia.

The building was extensively damaged in the 1996 attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on the Colombo Central Bank.^[2]

In 2011 the building was acquired by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), who undertook extensive renovations and refurbishment, in order to house the museum. The Economic History Museum of Sri Lanka was formally opened in 2013. The CSBL also renamed the building to the Central Point building, reflecting its central location within Colombo.^[2]

The museum has a collection of currency which date back to the 3rd century BC. It includes coins from the Anuradhapura era (3 BC to 107 AD), Polonnaruwa to Kotte Kingdoms era (1017 AD - 1597 AD), coins used during the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial eras through to the modern era and commemorative coins and notes.^[1]

National Savings Bank, Bank of Ceylon, People's Bank and Hatton National Bank also have their small museums in Colombo.^[3] However, the currency museum of Central Bank of Sri Lanka exhibits more information.

• List of museums in Sri Lanka

• Taking count of ancient coins

v t e Museums in Sri Lanka
National museums	National Museum of Colombo National Museum of Kandy National Museum of Galle National Museum of Ratnapura
Department of Museums (Subject)	National Museum of Natural History Colombo Dutch Museum National Maritime Museum (Galle) Independence Memorial Museum Folk Museum (Anuradhapura)
Institutional subjects	Ceylon Tea Museum Colombo Port Maritime Museum Economic History Museum Highway museum complex, Kiribathkumbura Hoods Tower Museum International Buddhist Museum J. R. Jayewardene Centre Maritime and Naval History Museum, Trincomalee Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum Masks Museum, Ambalangoda Museum of Temple of Tooth National railway museum, Kadugannawa Postal museum, Colombo Sri Lanka Air Force Museum S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike Museum Walisinghe Harischandra Museum Wax Museum (Sri Lanka)
Department of Archaeology (Regional)	North Central Province Anuradhapura Museum Mihintale Museum Veheragala Museum Isurumuniya Museum Tantirimale Museum North Western Province Panduwasnuwara Museum Puttalam Museum Rajanganaya Museum Yapahuwa Museum Dambadeniya Museum Central Province Kandy Royal Palace Museum Nalanda Museum Pidurangala Museum Eastern Province Batticaloa Museum Dighavapi Museum Seruwila Museum Welgam Vehera Museum Western Province Kotte Museum Southern Province Matara Star Fort Museum Yatala Museum Kasagala Museum Mulkirigala Museum Northern Province Jaffna Museum Vavuniya Museum Uva Province Buduruwagala Museum Maligawila Museum Sabaragamuwa Province Dedigama Museum