Bay Island Driftwood Museum, located in the scenic village of Kumarakom, is a unique and innovative tourism project in India. The museum boasts a huge collection of root sculptures of various shapes and designs, making it the only museum of its kind in India and the world’s best at present.

The museum was established by Mrs Raji Punnoose, the driving force behind this incredible project. Her passion and dedication to collecting driftwood sculptures from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands led to the creation of this museum. Her hard work and vision have paid off as the museum has received several accolades over the years.
In 2004, the Department of Tourism, Kerala recognized Mrs Punnoose’s achievements and conferred upon her the award for Excellence in Tourism for the “Most Innovative Tourism Project in Kerala” for the year 2003-04. This recognition was well-deserved as the museum continues to attract visitors from all over the world.

The museum’s reputation only grew stronger in 2013 when it was included in the India Book of Records. The inclusion was a result of the museum’s impressive collection of root sculptures and the innovative approach to showcasing them.

In 2018, scientists from various parts of the country attended a conference at Kumarakom and visited the museum. They were highly impressed with the collection of fossils and driftwood sculptures, which led to the museum bagging the URF World Record for the largest Fossil and Driftwood Museum.

The museum’s recognition didn’t stop there as well-known scholars and artists also gave their appreciation for the unique collection. Prof. Luis from Kentucky, USA, visited the museum and rendered very appreciable comments about the museum to the world. This was followed by the observations of famous artist Prof. Joseph Wheeler from Boston, USA, which helped the museum enter the Limca Book of Records.

Bay Island Driftwood Museums in Kottayam is not only a testament to Mrs Punnoose’s hard work and dedication, but it also showcases the creativity and beauty of nature. It is a unique and innovative tourism project that has put Kumarakom on the map and continues to attract visitors from all over the world.