Tea Museum Munnar

Tea Museum

Tata Tea Museum was founded on 1st April 2005. The Museum is under Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (P) Ltd. (KDHP). The factory spreads over an area of 24,000 hectares of land. There are about 16 tea manufacturing units. 

Munnar Tea Museum is also known as Nalluthanni Estate.  Tata Tea Museum is 4 kilometres (2.49 mi) away from the Munnar.  

Once the area was a deep jungle, but in 1790 the Duke of Wellington found that a tea plantation was quite a possibility at that place. J.D. Munroe, a Scottish tea planter, was the first person to establish a tea estate. The estate covered an area of 588 square km of land.

Inside the Tea Museum of Munnar

The Tea Museum has got a huge collection of photographs of people who have worked in tea factories in the area. The photographs show what kinds of machinery were used to produce tea in earlier times. 

Photos of the machinery of the current time are also shown here. Unlike in the past, this museum shows due honour and recognition to the tea workers for their contribution to tea production.  More than 2.5 million visitors have visited this museum so far. 

At the entrance of the Museum, you will find a sundial. It was a work of the Art Industrial School of Tamil Nadu.  It is unbelievable that in the tea museum there is a rudimentary tea roller from 1905. It is called the ‘Rotorvane’. 

Moreover, there is also the Pelton Wheel. In the 1920s the wheel was used to supply power to the Kanniamallay estate. 

A rail engine wheel that is used in the Kundale Valley Light Railway line can be seen. This wheel transported material and workers between the Top Station and Munnar. 

 There is a separate section for antiques in the museum. The collection is an invaluable treasure. 

Tata Tea Museum also showcases the transition to a fully automated tea factory. It is an enriching experience to learn about the various stages of tea processing. There are two shows on the production of tea daily. 

Some officials are there to provide the visitors with important information related to tea and tea productions and also give answers to their queries.  

Thus, from the museum, the visitors gain knowledge about the production of black tea. You will get the rare opportunity to taste different kinds of tea in the demonstration room.  The Tea tasting session will cost INR 100.  You can also buy herbal tea at a reasonable price. 

Visit Tata Tea’s Srishti Welfare Centre where you can purchase handmade greeting cards and tasty strawberry preserve. People usually visit Munnar for tea and spices.

Tea Museum Munnar entry fee

The entry fee for adults is 75INR and for children between 6-12, it is INR 35. 

If you want to take photographs inside the museum, you have to pay a fee of INR20. 

Tea museum Munnar timings  

Tata Tea Museum remains closed on Mondays. It is also closed on Good Fridays. The museum is open on other days from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

How to Reach the Place

Nearest Railway station:   Aluva Railway Station is the nearest railway station to reach Tata Museum.   

Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport is the nearest one. You can get on a bus or a taxi.  It is 70 km from the airport. 

Address 

Tata Tea Museum,  

Nalluthanni Estate, 

Munnar, 

KL-685 612,  

Idukki district, Kerala

Nearby Attractions

Munnar abounds with natural beauty. In addition to the tea gardens, you can find mesmerizing waterfalls and parks all around Munnar. In Munnar, you can also go for a wildlife safari at Erivakulum National Park. 

Nyayamakad Waterfalls

KFDC Floricultural Centre 

Kakayyam Reservoir

Blossom International Park 

Carmelagiri Elephant Park 

Eravikulam National Park

The tea gardens of Munnar flourished quickly. It is still a means of livelihood.  One cannot imagine Munnar without its tea gardens. The Munnar Museum is a testimonial of the success in producing tea. You are invited to witness the interesting display of the Tea Museum.