Kerala Soil Museum displays the diverse types of soil in the state. It has been described as the world's largest soil museum and the first soil museum in India established to international standards. The state government established the soil museum to provide an exhibition of the richness of Kerala's soils and mineral resources, as well as to foster public awareness about conservation and ecological protection.
State Soil Museum was set up by the Department of Soil Survey and Conservation of Government of Kerala. The museum was inaugurated on 1 January 2014. The museum's staff were trained by personnel from the World Soil Museum at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
Soil Museum offers an opportunity to know and feel the soil, the museum aims at generating awareness to conserve this precious natural resource for future generations.
Major Exhibits in Kerala Soil Museum
The most important exhibits in the museum are a set of 82 soil monoliths 1.5 metres tall which preserve and display the intact soil profiles of all of the 82 soil series recognised in the state of Kerala. Each monolith was dug from the ground without disturbing its elements and was processed for one month or longer before being mounted for museum display. Alongside each monolith is information about the soil, including the physical characteristics of the soil series, where it is found, its nutrient status, the crops it is best suited for, and recommendations for use and management of land where the soil is present. The soil classifications displayed in the museum are based on the US Department of Agriculture soil taxonomy.
Other exhibits include a geologic map of Kerala; a map of Kerala showing the distribution of the eight soil orders represented in the state; collections of rocks and minerals and the physical constituents of soil, such as clay, silt, sand, stone, and gravel; displays explaining how soils are formed; and displays about the relationship of soil to the issues of food security and climate change.
Attached to the museum is a Soil Information Centre that exhibits a model of a watershed, illustrating both the elements of a watershed and a variety of conservation measures.
The mini theatre shows videos on soil survey and soil conservation activities in the State. The state of the planet is documentarised stressing the need for conservation activities. The soil perspective is highlighted in all videos. Videos on environmental concerns are also shown.
Kerala Soil Museum Visiting Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm
Ticket Rates:
School Students – Rs 15/-
College Students – Rs 20/-
General Public – Rs 30/-
Contact Address:
State Soil Museum and State Soil Information Centre
Central Soil Analytical Laboratory,
Tilak Nagar,
Parottukonam,
Thiruvananthapuram 695044
Kerala
Phone: 0471 254 1776
How To Reach
By Road Thiruvananthapuram (7 km)
Nearest Railway Station: Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station (7 km)
Nearest Airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport TRV (7 km)
