Tea Museum in Munnar - Places to visit in Munnar
Do you like to experience how they make the Tea from the leaves? Visit the Tea Museum in Munnar to experience how Tata process the tea leaves and pack them into the tea bags.
Tea Museum, previously known as Tata Tea Museum, is currently operated by Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (P) Ltd, which is a spin-off company from Tata Tea Ltd in 2005. This is one of the most visited attractions in Munnar. Your visit to Munnar hill station will not complete without spending some time in the Tea Museum, exploring the history of the Tea plantations.
My first visit to this place was about 20 years ago and I still remember the demo in which they showed how the whole tea production process works. The nice fragrance of tea that was filled everywhere gave us a nice feeling. Even though it's called a museum, they actually have a working miniature factory there, where they use raw tea leaves freshly picked from the tea gardens, send through the entire production process and pack into different bags according to the grading. I'm not sure what they do with the tea produced there; they can't sell it under Tata brand or Kanan Devan brand since they don't follow all the quality and hygiene standards, since this place is only meant for demonstration purpose.
My second visit to this museum was on Feb 26, 2015. There was nothing much changed in last 20 years. The museum, the machinery, all the old stuff showcased in the museum - everything remains pretty much the same. The sundial which is placed outside the museum is still there and looks pretty much the same. The only changes are the amenities and the sales outlets they have built. They have a pretty big sales outlet where they sell all Tata beverages and Kanan Devan products. You can buy a variety of tea products there. I picked up a bag of masala tea, lemon tea and some other spices which usually you won't find in your grocery stores. They also sell the regular Tea from the vending machines at a discounted price of Rs 5 per cup of tea.
Read Important tourist attractions and places to see in Munnar
What to see in the museum?
As soon as you enter the museum, you will be greeted by a lot of pictures that tells the history of tea plantation in Munnar. You can also watch a 30-minutes video that talks in detail about how the British came to Munnar and how they established the tea estates which are spread across thousands of acres in the high-range hills of Idukki district. Those who are interested in the history could spend 15-20 minutes going through all historical readings. In the Room# 2, you can see a lot of old type writers, phones, clocks, and calculators etc, which are older than hundred years.
They have a lot of old furniture used by the British people in the factory several decades ago. Also, several tea processing machines that were used in the factory during the beginning stages are on display. Tea tasting demonstrations are held at regular intervals.
Recommended: KFDC Floriculture Centre, Munnar - a treat for the eyes
Sales outlets
The sales outlets and tea vending machines are quite new and are of commercial nature. I'm sure they were not there when I visited this place several years ago, or atleast they weren't this big. Even though it is a bit eye-soaring to see these commercial outlets in this historical museum, it is a good place to buy a variety of tea and spice products that you can trust. There are several private outlets all over Munnar but there is no guarantee that you will get genuine products there. We bought some masala tea last year from a private seller in Munnar and ended up throwing it in the dust bin. The Kanan Devan and Tata products you get in the company sales outlets are genuine products from the company.Amenities
The Tea Musuem is a pretty small place with some old buildings, a typical nature of museums. There are not many amenities other than toilets and some tea vending machines. There are no hotels and restaurants in walking distance. If you are planning to spend some time in this place and if you have a habit of eating snacks wherever you go, better bring your own snacks!Admission
Any time of the year and any time of the day are good to visit the Tea Museum. The museum is closed on all Mondays.
You need to pay Rs 80 per person for admission to the museum. Also, there is an additional Rs 20 for using camera in the place. Rs 80 for a ticket looks a bit over priced but if you want to explore some history of Munnar, this is a must visit place.
If you are not interested in exploring history but want to try out some fun and activities, you may want to visit Dream Land, which is a sort of adventure park. Spread across several acres in a beautiful natural landscape, this place has several fun activities to keep everyone entertained for a few hours.
Tea museum is not the only attraction in Munnar. Don't forget to visit places like Anayirangal dam, Eravikulam National Park, Honey Bee Tree, Rose garden etc. Unfortunately, there are no Uber and Ola cabs in Munnar. If you like, you may hire a bike and go around the places yourself. If you are looking for night life, you will need to go to the town.
Team Museum Photos
Hi
I heard this place name many times before. Thanks for bringing my attention again to it. Yes, feels like a must visit place. Can you please guide me how to reach there and where do you prefer to stay if am bringing my family with me. Just want to explore Munnar in Kerala to the core side.
Thank you