Kalpetta: The first Tea Museum in Wayanad has been opened at Achoor, Pozhuthana. It is an initiative of agri-business giant Harrisons Malayalam Ltd. (HML) to spread awareness on the history and tradition of tea industry.
The museum has been set up by renovating an old tea factory that was damaged in a fire back in 1995. The 4,000 square feet museum is arranged on three floors.
Among the exhibits are those providing information on the history of tea production in India and Wayanad, machinery used for processing tea leaves in the past and old photos of tea gardens and factories.
Various machines used in tea factories earlier are exhibited on the first floor. Meanwhile, visitors can taste different types of tea on the second floor, which also houses a ‘Tea bar.’
Merlin Geo, HML deputy general manager (operations) and Benin John, HML Wayanad group manager, said that the ground floor of the museum would provide visitors information on the evolution of the tea industry over the last 100 years. Among the exhibits is a world map showing the important tea-producing areas and the shipping routes used to transport tea and many interesting facts about tea industry.
Exhibits on the historic Boston Tea Party in 1773 and a model of Achoor area are also displayed.
Entry to the Tea Museum is by tickets. The charge is Rs 50 for adults and Rs 30 for children aged between eight and 12 years. The museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm.