A joint project by the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Planters' Association of Sri Lanka

Have a brief look at the History of Sri Lankan Tea <-- Link

Open on all days, except monday, from: 8.15 a.m. to 4.45 p.m.

Built in 1925, the spacious four storied Hantane Tea Factory, had been abondoned for more than a decade when it was earmarked for the Museum Project undertaken by the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Planters' Association of Ceylon. Today it stands as a proud monument to the success story taht is Ceylon Tea.

The Hantane tea factory is located three miles from Kandy. It is served by a motorable road that circles the factory providing easy access. Kandy is a mandatory stop on virtually every tourist itinerary, and the location of Ceylon Tea Museum at Hantane makes sound economic sense. It will also enhance the attraction of hill country to visitors. Additionally its proximity to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and Loolecondra, where tea was grown commercially, make Hantane the perfect location. The factory building consists of four floors. The ground accommodate heavy machinery; the first floor occupies some examples in the withering process. Library and the Audio-visual presentations in the second floor whilst the sales outlets are found in the third floor. The fourth floor is to be converted to a deluxe restaurant.

The picture below shows a view of the Matale region and the Mt. Hunnasgiriya Range of hills from the museum.

Although exhibits are not abundant they do provide a valuable insight into how tea was manufactured in the early days. Old machinery, some dating back more than a century, has been lovingly restored to working order. The first exhibit that greets visitors in the Engine Room on the ground floor of the museum is the Ruston and Hornsby developed diesel and other liquid fuel engines, power for the estates were obtained by water driven turbines.

Museum's "Rolling Room" offers a glimpse into the development of manufacturing techniques with its fascinating collection of rollers. Here the showpiece is the manually operated ' Little Giant Tea Roller'.

In 1867, on 19 acres at Loolecondra, James Taylor planted first tea to be grown commercially. Those were hard times when methods of manufacture were woefully primitive.

Amid many hardships, men of Taylor's ilk dedicated their lives to the tea fields. As a tribute to their endeavours, a tea museum has been opened in Hantane, close to Sri Lanka's hill capital Kandy.