The Kerala Folklore Museum preserves and promotes South India’s rich and varied cultural heritage. The wood-and-clay building is modeled on traditional Malabar design and took seven years and 60 craftsmen to complete. Inside, the sprawling private collection spans millennia, with Stone Age-era utensils, intricate Mysore paintings, and vibrant Theyyam masks.
There’s minimal signage to explain many of the artifacts on display. To understand the context of South India’s traditional folk arts, visit the museum with a guide or as part of a half- or full-day tour, which often also cover the giant Chinese Fishing Nets that droop over the waters surrounding Fort Kochi, and tend to include hotel pickup and drop-off.