Located in the lush green campus of Manasa Gangotri (Mysore University), Jayalakshmi Vilas Palace is a heritage building now converted into a museum. Artifacts pertaining to local folk performing arts, tools and ancient objects of various artisans and other archaeological findings are exhibited here.
History: Jayalakshmi Vilas Palace was built in 1905 by Mysuru Maharaja Shri Krishnaraja Wodeyar 4, as a residence for Princess Jayalakshmi Ammani. Princess Jayalakshmi married Kantharaj Urs in 1897 and later made Dewan of Mysuru. The Vilas Palace was a gift to the married couple.
Present Status: Jayalakshmi Vilas Palace was acquired by University of Mysuru and was renovated between 2002 and 2006.
Museums: Jayalakshmi Vilas Palace currently houses Folklore Museum, Archeology Museum and a General Museum. Folklore Museum is the most popular, with over 6500 exhibits, considered Asia’s largest collection of folk art exhibits. Folklore museum gives fine illustration of village life, traditional craft and works of people in the region surrounding Mysuru. Headgears, costumes, puppets, scale models of houses and temples, rural ornaments, metal wares and household items are some of the exhibits in the museum.
The General Museum features various artifacts used by the Royal Family.
The Archeology Museum exhibits stone sculptures, paintings, life size replicas of a tiger, an ivory arch and other interesting exhibits.
Visitor timings: Monday till Saturday: 10 AM till 1PM and 3 PM till 5 PM, closed on Sundays and public holidays.
