Kochi Hortus Malabaricus Museum

Museum gallery on Hortus Malabaricus.
The concept of a gallery/museum of Hortus Malabaricus is a novel idea, which enables to designate the general knowledge among the students, scholars and general public with regard to the compilation and publication of the great book, Hortus Malabaricus. The inspiration behind the compilation details regarding the medicinal plants of Malabar is praise worthy. The intensity of desire to print it in Latin is also an inspiring one, as the language was widely accepted all over the world. The gallery highlights the hardships that had been overcome by Van Rheede and his associates.
The location of the gallery is at the academic block of the Centre for Heritage of studies. It is not only a heritage building but also suitable enough to exhibit the museum objects. The Kochi Hortus Malabaricus Herbarium of the existing rare plants of Hill Palace campus has been established in this building. The Collection and Ex-situ Conservation of the Medicinal Plants Described in Van Rheede’s Hortus Malabaricus has been established in the building premises. A separate entry is possible from outside to visit the gallery in odd hours also. As this campus, consisting 52 acres, have almost 90 identified rare species of plants, this gallery is an additional attraction for the visitors. </br>
The exhibits are
# Photographs of the Dutch monuments in Kochi.
# Photographs/portraits pertaining to the Dutch Commandants/Captains/Governors before and after Van Rheede.
# Photographs/paintings/portraits of the associates of Van Rheede - Vinayaka Bhutt, Appu Bhatt, Itty Achuthun, etc.
# Dutch letters including the signature of Van Rheede.
# Models & paintings of Dutch vessels of 17th century.