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Bay Island Driftwood Museum

Bay Island Driftwood Museum is a one of the unique and unusual museums located in the state of Kerala. This museum houses sculptures made from driftwood made from superior quality in the form of a unique collection. These collections have great artistic value and people with artistic frame of mind find the collection mesmerising. The museum is located in Kumarakom that is a very beautiful place in Kerala known for its scenic splendour. Root sculptures can also be seen here in a wide array of shapes, sizes and designs.

History

The story behind this museum is quite interesting. A lady teacher teaching in school with a dynamic personality was serving her job in the archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. She used to pick up pieces of driftwood that came to the sea shore deposited by sea. This driftwood was in the form of tree trunks, roots, twisted stumps and many more shapes and designs. She saw that there was a potential of using this driftwood pieces to make a unique sculpture. A little effort on the part of an artist could do wonders with this material that is otherwise considered of no use. The cyclone in the Bay of Bengal brought lot of driftwood pieces to the shore. Since the water here is quite turbulent and highly unpredictable, sometimes centuries old pieces were also brought to the shore.

The collected pieces are cleaned and the parts that were dead were removed. The sturdy part of the tree that was left was used to create a sculpture. The left part is trimmed, scraped, polished, finished and preserved to give it a good shape. Some are in the shape of birds and some are in shape of animals, fish, reptiles and many more.

How to Reach


By Air

Cochin International Airport is the closest airport, from where Kumarakom can be reached through bus or taxi as it is about 90 kilometres away from the airport.

By Rail

Kottayam is the nearest railway station.

By Roads

It is very convenient to reach this museum as the roads are good and the museum is well connected.

Nearby Attractions


Pathiramanal

Also referred to as the Sands of Midnight, this is an island sprawled in an area of ten acres. Located in the backwaters, here, some rare species of migratory birds can be seen. The Vembanad Lake surrounds this island. To access this place, boats are used and tourists coming from far away destinations love to visit this place. While indulging in a backwater cruise, it is the perfect place to break journey and enjoy this place.

Siva Temple

This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located about 12 kms away from Kumarakom. The erstwhile royal family of this place used to worship here.

Jama Masjid

This is a very ancient mosque located on the banks of Meenachil River. This mosque is believed to have been about one thousand years old.

Bird Sanctuary

A prominent bird sanctuary is located close to this destination. It is basically an islet on Vembanad Lake about 12 kms away from Kottayam in Kerala. Referred to as Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, this place houses some rare species of birds. The serene ambience of this place is perfect for nature lovers who would like to spend some quite time here in the lap of nature. 

Flora and Fauna

Some unique flora and fauna can be seen in this area as this place is known for nature’s bounty. Besides some unique birds like heron, cuckoo, egret, waterfowl, owl, water duck and many more can be seen. Avid bird watchers love to spend a lot of time in this place. Sometimes Siberian cranes also come here. October to February is the perfect time to watch migratory birds. There is an old constructed building in the Bird Sanctuary referred to as ‘Baker’s Mansion”. This building has now been converted into a hotel by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.

Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls

This is a beautiful waterfall located in this area. Located about eighteen kilometres away from the Kottayam town, this beautiful picnic spot beckons tourists to spend some memorable time. The water in this waterfall falls from a height of about 100 feet. The gushing sound of the water seems to be musical to the ears.

Places to Stay Nearby Museum


Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom

Coconut Lagoon is a popular resort in Kumarakom area. Since this resort is located close to dense coconut plantation, hence the name Coconut lagoon is given to it. There are cottages and bungalows to stay. A wide array of facilities and amenities are offered to the guests looking to stay here. There is an Ayurvedic Center also in the resort and guests can get some treatments done in the lap of nature.

Golden Waters, Kumarakom

This is another luxury backwater resort located in Kumarakom. A breakfast cruise in the morning is its high point.

Location Map

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