Eighteen year old Julia Wijesinghe of Queens, New York inaugurated the first Sri Lankan Art & Cultural Museum in the world outside of Sri Lanka. Born and raised in Queens Julia was always proud of her Sri Lankan Culture. Her parents immigrated to the US over 30 years ago and are proud owners of the first ever Sri Lankan Restaurant in USA. When asked why she wanted to set up her own museum she replied that her parents were her inspiration, “As New York is a cultural melting pot, my museum stands out for what it represents.” With the help of her father, Julia gathered artifacts and artwork from Sri Lanka to setup up the museum above her parents restaurant. This is the first ever Sri Lankan Cultural Museum outside of Sri Lanka. As an added bonus, each ticket includes a free Sri Lankan buffet.
If you are around the area. Drop by at 668 Bay street, Staten Island, New York, NY 10304. They are open from 5pm to 10 pm.
