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A tour to the island country of Sri Lanka offers varied and enriching experiences. Sri Lanka as we all know has a rich and glorious history and still is predominantly a Buddhist country, though there are significant followers of other religions here. Though you can explore the whole country at your will, that is, you can visit any place, there are some popular tour places, that are always included in any well known tour operator’s itinerary. Another way to discover the country is through the museums. There are several museums in the country dedicated to its sea resources or history or architecture or archaeological excavations. In this context, the Anuradhapura Archaeological Museum situated between Brazen Palace and Ruwanweli Seya must be mentioned. Here you will get an idea on the relics of the past or what Anuradhapura was in earlier times. Anuradhapura's nearness to the south of India influenced the lives of the people in particular and society in general. Many took refuge in the teachings of Lord Buddha but it had a flip side too. Many noted scholars believe that the path of ahimsa made it vulnerable to outside marauders like the Tamil forces of Rajaraja Chola. He ransacked the city in the 11th century AD. The Sinhalese capital was shifted to Polonnaruwa. But even afterthrow and expulsion of the Chola Dynasty, Anuradhapura did not regain its former glory. Mawathu Oya River forms the outside edge that divides the sacred ancient city and the contemporary town of Anuradhapura located on the eastern side of the river. Anuradhapura Arcaeological Museum contains several exhibits discovered from the ancient city. There are explanatory displays which help a great deal in understanding what the ancient civilization was all about. Amongst all the displays, there is a model of the Thuparama Vatadage and an artifact chamber from Mihintale.
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