Folklore Museum Mysore - A Journey into Karnataka's Folk Heritage

The Folklore Museum was established in 1968 by the University of Mysore. Its collection was developed by distinguished scholars and folklorists like P.R. Thippeswamy, with the goal of showcasing the region's diverse cultural heritage. The museum is housed in the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, a heritage building constructed in 1905 for Princess Jayalakshmi Ammani, the eldest daughter of Maharaja Chamaraja Wodeyar X. The University later acquired the mansion to house its postgraduate studies departments and this museum, preserving both the building and the cultural artifacts within it.

This museum holds one of Asia's most significant collections of folk artifacts. Its importance lies in the systematic preservation and display of Karnataka's folk traditions, which might otherwise be lost over time. The collection is a crucial academic resource for students and researchers of folklore, anthropology, and sociology. For visitors, it offers a unique and authentic window into the state's rural and artistic soul, showcasing everything from performance arts like Yakshagana and Togalu Gombeyata (leather puppetry) to the everyday objects of its people.