The centerpiece of the museum, zoo and botanical garden complex in the middle of Thiruvananthapuram city. Apart from housing a rare collection of exhibits, the museum building itself is a rare example of exquisite architecture. The museum is named after a former Madras Governor General John Napier. The nearby Sree Chithra Art Gallery has a collection of rare paintings including those by Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova and Nicholas Roerich.