Indo-Portuguese Museum, Kochi (Cochin), Kerala India

The Indo-Portuguese Museum situated in Fort Kochi throws light on the strong Portuguese influence in both the art and the architecture of the region.

The Portuguese are inevitably linked with the south-western city in the peninsula of India, known as Kochi as they had left an indelible imprint on virtually all its spheres.
The Indo Portuguese Museum vouches for the supreme reign of the Portuguese in Kochi, as it is one of the very rare buildings that procures a domicile to many of the precious artworks and other relics belonging to the Indo-Portuguese era.

The Indo Portuguese Museum was in fact the dream and aspiration of Dr Kureethra, who had served the tenure of the Bishop of Kochi at some point of his life. The sole objective that acted behind the erection of this monumental museum known as Indo Portuguese Museum in Kochi was the zeal to shield his own archdiocese from jeopardy. Another objective was to precisely bear on the legacy of his times so that the coming generation could learn something from them.

The Indo Portuguese Museum of Kochi had been strategically bifurcated into five sections, each dealing with a different set of articles. These sections can be categorized as Civil Life, Cathedral, Altar, Treasure and Procession. A huge fraction of all antiquities displayed in the Indo Portuguese Museum at Kochi reflects tremendous Portuguese influence.

Located within the compound of the beautiful Bishop's house, near Parade Ground in Fort Kochi, the museum showcases artifacts like statues and coins left back by the Portuguese. It was Bishop Dr. Joseph Kureethra who established the Museum to preserve the invaluable collections and protect the rich heritage.

The artifacts in the museums are displayed in the five main sections namely the altar, treasure, procession, civil life and the cathedral.The museum has some outstanding collections like a piece of the altar made in teak wood from the Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen, a chasuble  from Bishop's House, processional cross a combination of silver and wood, Indo-Portuguese Monstrance,  the Coat of Arms of the Franciscans etc.

The museum remains open on all days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m expect on Mondays and all Public Holidays. The entry fees are Rs. 10 for Indian Adults, Rs. 25 for Non Indian Adults and Rs. 5 for Children.

The museum today is an important center for understanding the Indo-Portuguese Christian Art heritage, which is still surviving. The museum is the outcome of the untiring efforts of the late Dr. Joseph Kureethra, Bishop of Kochi. Driven by sheer commitment to protect the rich heritage of his Diocese, the bishop established the Indo-Portuguese Museum to preserve some of the invaluable collections for posterity. The Indo-Portuguese Museum situated in Fort Kochi throws light on the strong Portuguese influence in both the art and the architecture of the region.

The museum today is an important center to understand the Indo-Portuguese Christian Art heritage, which is still surviving. The museum is the outcome of the untiring efforts of the late Dr. Joseph Kureethra, Bishop of Kochi. Driven by sheer commitment to protect the rich heritage of his Diocese, the bishop established the Indo-Portuguese Museum to preserve some of the invaluable collections for posterity.

The museum is divided into five main sections, according to the nature of items displayed in each section. They are viz. Altar, Treasure, Procession, Civil Life and Cathedral.

The museum currently houses some outstanding collections, well known for its artistic and architectural marvel, which bear the mark of strong Portuguese influence. Some of these include a piece of the altar made in teak wood (16th century) from the Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen, a chasuble (19th century) from Bishop?s House, Fort Kochi, Processional cross, which is a combination of silver and wood (17th century) from Santa Cruz Cathedral, Fort Kochi, Indo-Portuguese Monstrance (18-19th century), from Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen. Among the displayed items, the Coat of Arms of the Franciscans needs special mentioning.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has also contributed to the rich collection at the Indo-Portuguese Museum and has to its credit sculptures, precious metal objects and vestments, among others from the Cathedral of Santa Cruz and other churches of the Kochi diocese. The Indo-Portuguese Museum in Kochi is indeed one of those symbols in the annals of Kochi, bearing the rich heritage of Indo-Portuguese culture and artistic influence.