Tata Tea Museum Munnar and Nearby Tourist Spots
Discover the Tata Tea Museum, Munnar – Where History, Heritage, and Flavour Unite
Munnar, with its emerald-green tea estates and cool mountain air, is one of Kerala’s most iconic destinations. Amid its rolling hills lies a must-visit attraction for every traveler: the Tata Tea Museum, also known as the Kannan Devan Tea Museum. This living archive of Kerala’s tea heritage isn’t just a museum; it’s an experience that immerses you in more than a century of history, technology, culture, and—of course—the delicious taste of freshly brewed tea.
If you’re planning a holiday in Munnar, the Tata Tea Museum offers a perfect blend of education, nostalgia, and sensory delight. At Shola Crown Resort, we’re proud to include a visit to the Tata Tea Museum as part of our Guided Munnar Sightseeing Trip, helping our guests truly connect with the region’s story.
In this post, let’s take you on a deep dive into what makes the Tata Tea Museum in Munnar such an unforgettable destination.
The Origin Story: Munnar and Its Tea Legacy
Long before Munnar became a tourist paradise, it was a remote, forested part of the Travancore kingdom. In 1877, the Maharaja of Travancore leased these high ranges to British planters, opening up vast expanses of virgin forest for cultivation. It was the start of a transformative journey.
Early planters faced immense challenges. Dense forests, rugged mountains, and heavy rainfall made access and cultivation difficult. But driven by opportunity, they pressed on—experimenting with different crops before realising tea was perfectly suited to Munnar’s cool climate and rich soil. By the 1880s, the first experimental tea plantations were taking root.
One of the key players in this story was James Finlay & Co., a Scottish trading firm that became deeply involved in developing the region. In 1896, they founded the Kanan Devan Hills Produce Company (KDHP), systematically expanding the plantations, setting up factories, and investing in infrastructure like ropeways, narrow-gauge railways, and hydroelectric plants. This industrial-scale approach turned Munnar into a major tea-producing region by the early 20th century.
As the decades passed, the estates and processing facilities grew, and Munnar’s reputation for high-quality tea spread far beyond Kerala. In 1964, Tata Tea (now Tata Consumer Products) entered into a joint venture with James Finlay & Co., marking the start of Indian management of these vast plantations. By 1976, Tata Tea had taken full control, ushering in modernisation, better welfare practices, and global marketing strategies that made Kerala’s tea internationally renowned.
In 2005, Tata Tea spun off its plantations into the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company Pvt. Ltd. (KDHP)—an innovative, employee-owned company that preserves the heritage while empowering its workers. It was in the same year that the Tata Tea Museum was inaugurated in Munnar’s historic Nullatanni Estate, paying tribute to this rich and complex legacy.
Where Is the Museum? How Do You Get There?
The Tata Tea Museum is set in the Nullatanni Estate, just about 1.5–2 km from Munnar town centre. Its convenient location means you can easily reach it by car, taxi, or local auto-rickshaw.
Address: Tata Tea Museum, Nalluthanni Estate, Munnar, Idukki District, Kerala 685612.
From Shola Crown Resort in Bodimettu, it’s a scenic drive through winding mountain roads, cardamom forests, and panoramic viewpoints—a journey that sets the mood for your tea heritage exploration.
Visitor Information: Timings, Ticket Prices, and More
Here’s everything you need to know before you go:
- Opening Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last entry typically at 4:30 PM).
- Closed: Mondays and Good Friday.
- Tickets: ₹75 for adults, ₹35 for children aged 6–12 (under 6 free). A camera fee of ₹20 is also charged.
- Optional Tea Tasting: ₹100 per person, an absolute treat for tea enthusiasts.
- Average Visit Duration: 1–2 hours.
Facilities include clean restrooms, a help desk, drinking water, and a well-stocked tea shop for buying estate-fresh tea and souvenirs.
The Museum Experience: What Awaits You Inside
Stepping into the Tata Tea Museum is like walking through a time tunnel of Munnar’s tea history. It’s more than static displays—this museum comes alive through working machinery, immersive demos, rare artifacts, and storytelling.
Vintage Tea Machinery
The museum houses an extraordinary collection of antique tea processing equipment, including:
- A 1905 Rotorvane tea roller used in CTC processing.
- A Pelton Wheel hydroelectric turbine from the 1920s.
- Fully functional demonstration units showing withering, rolling, fermenting, drying, and grading.
Watching these machines in action during a live demo gives you a hands-on understanding of how tea leaves are transformed from green flush to the aromatic, finished product we love.
🚂 Relics of Munnar’s Industrial Past
A particularly fascinating exhibit is the rail wheel salvaged from the historic Kundale Valley Light Railway, which once ferried tea and supplies across Munnar’s challenging terrain. This narrow-gauge railway, built in the early 1900s, was an engineering marvel of its time but was destroyed by a flood in 1924.
Such relics help visitors appreciate the logistical challenges faced by early planters—and the ingenuity that helped them overcome it.
🛋️ Colonial-Era Artifacts
The museum also preserves everyday objects from the planter lifestyle, including:
- Vintage bungalow furniture.
- A classic iron cast oven.
- Wooden bathtubs and old magneto telephones.
- Early 20th-century calculators and typewriters.
These artifacts transport you back to the colonial era, shedding light on the lifestyle and work culture of the planters who developed these estates.
Historic Documents and Photos
Original plantation records, black-and-white photos of early estates, and maps of Munnar’s expanding tea gardens tell a compelling visual story. You’ll see rare images of early workers, European planters, and the gradual mechanisation that made Munnar a tea powerhouse.
Archaeological Surprise
One of the museum’s most unexpected exhibits is a 2nd-century burial urn unearthed at the nearby Periakanal Estate. Though unrelated to tea, it’s a reminder of the human history that predates the plantations by nearly two millennia—an archaeological gem that enriches the narrative.
The Interactive Edge: Demonstrations and Tasting
What sets the Tata Tea Museum apart is its live demonstration of tea processing. Skilled guides—often retired factory staff with decades of experience—take visitors through the entire journey:
- Plucking
- Withering
- Rolling
- Fermentation
- Drying
- Sorting
It’s a tactile, visual, and olfactory experience that leaves you with a new appreciation for the humble tea leaf.
And then there’s the tasting. For ₹100, you can sample a curated selection of estate teas—from robust CTC blends to delicate orthodox varieties, and even green teas or flavoured infusions. Trained tea-tasters help you identify subtle notes, aromas, and textures. It’s a masterclass in tea appreciation!
Audio-Visual Show: Bringing History to Life
Before touring the museum floor, visitors are treated to a 30-minute documentary that vividly chronicles the history of Munnar’s tea estates. Using rare archival footage and expert narration, it tells a story of adventure, resilience, and innovation—from colonial experiments to today’s employee-owned KDHP.
It’s an essential introduction that gives context to everything you’ll see and taste.
Don’t Miss the Tea Shop
No visit is complete without a stop at the museum’s Tea Shop. Here you can buy estate-fresh teas at excellent prices, including KDHP’s popular Ripple Tea brand and single-estate orthodox teas not easily found elsewhere. It’s the perfect place to pick up gifts or stock your own pantry with authentic Munnar flavours.
You’ll also find tea-themed souvenirs—mugs, infusers, and local handicrafts that make wonderful mementoes of your trip.
A Scenic Setting Amid Rolling Plantations
Part of the charm of visiting the Tata Tea Museum is its location amid working tea gardens. Outside, you’re treated to panoramic views of endless green hills—perfect for photography or simply soaking in the tranquil mountain vibe. Many visitors find themselves lingering just to admire the landscape that makes Munnar such a beloved destination.
Why It’s Unmissable
The Tata Tea Museum isn’t just for tea lovers (though they’ll be in heaven here). It’s for anyone curious about history, technology, culture, and the human stories that shaped Munnar.
It offers:
- Authentic machinery in action
- Rare historical relics and photos
- Hands-on demonstrations
- Expert-led tea tasting
- Gorgeous plantation views
- A well-curated tea shop
At Shola Crown Resort, we’re proud to introduce our guests to this remarkable destination during our Guided Munnar Sightseeing Trip. It’s our way of helping you experience the true essence of Munnar—from misty mountains and cardamom forests to the rich legacy of tea that defines this beautiful land.
