Nilambur Teak Museum, Nilambur

Nilambur Teak Museum is situated at Nilambur in Malappuram district. The museum is 4 kilomtres away from Nilambur on the way to Gudallur. It is the world's first Teak Museum and it is a sub centre Kerala Forest Research Institute. This Teak Museum is the only one kind of it's in the world and displays the artifacts and utility items of teak wood, scientific information on various aspects of teak cultivation, wood utilization and research and development of teak. In addition, the museum has a library of world literature on teak, a modern auditorium and a nature trail. It is established by the Kerala Forest Research Institute in collaboration with the Kerala Forest Department in 1995 due to the historic importance of that place in connection with teak. The World's oldest teak plantation is situated at Nilambur which was started under the supervision of H V Conolly around 150 years ago, who was the district collector of Malabar during that time. You can collect all information including cultural, aesthetic and scientific regarding a teak from there.

The Nilambur Teak Museum is housed in a two storied building. The extensive root system of a 60-year-old teak tree exhibited at the entrance for welcoming the tourists is itself metaphorical of the past, present and future of the museum. The ground floor of the museum exhibits about Kannimara Teak, the oldest naturally growing teak tree located at the Parambikulam wild-life sanctuary and the life-size replica of the trunk of the largest known teak tree growing in the Malayattoor forest division. Another section exhibits about the giant tree present in the oldest teak plantation in the Conolly's Plot at Nilambur and gives various information to the visitors about the teak plantation activities undertaken 160 years ago. The portraits of great persons involved in the development of the teak plantation and those who had laid the foundations to the plantation forestry in India like H V Conolly, Chathu Menon and T F Bourdillion are also provided there. Works of art made out of teak are the main attraction of the Museum. Among that a vessel made out of teak called URU is really awesome. The information required to plant teak is given in the next section. It explains about the distance to be kept between two teak, natural fertilizers required and etc… They have also displayed different variety of trees which are equally useful as of teak.

The bamboo trees on the way and around the museum add beauty to the museum. The bio-resources on the back side of the museum are another main attraction. The way passes through a heavy growth of shrubs, trees and bamboos. You can also see different species of birds and reptiles there. There are 50 naturally grown tree species and 136 endangered and near-extinct tree species of the Western Ghats planted in this nature trail. About 58 species of birds, both resident and migratory, has been recorded in this area. A medicinal plant garden consisting of 150 species is also another attraction worth seeing.

The fascinating abundance of information on this wonder tree attracts a lot of tourists to visit this museum throughout the year.

Teak Plantation

How to Reach

The Nilambur teak museum is 4 kilometres away from Nilambur town. The nearest air port is Calicut Airport which is 36 kilometres away from the museum. The nearest railway station is Nilambur station which is 3 kilometres away from the museum. All major stations like Shornur, palakkad, Ernakulam are well connected to Nilambur station. Road transport is available round the clock.