Kerala Folklore Museum

One man's obsession, turned into a building. Antique dealer George Thaliath spent three decades gathering more than 5,000 objects across South India, then housed them in a structure assembled from salvaged pieces of old temples and heritage homes. Three floors follow three Kerala architectural styles, filled with Kathakali and Theyyam costumes, masks, instruments, mural painting and carved wood, all labelled properly in English. It opened in 2009 on the Thevara waterfront, about fifteen minutes from Fort Kochi. Entry costs more than at state museums, as the place funds itself.

Costumes, masks and temple art from a collector who spent thirty years finding them