The Museums precinct is located in the central part of Colombo, situated just southeast of the city's coastal commercial centre (Colombo Fort) and adjacent to Viharamahadevi Park (formerly Victoria Park).
The physical geography is defined by a highly developed urban landscape built upon a flat coastal plain. Despite being an urban centre, the area is renowned for its lush, green environment. Wide, tree-lined avenues, particularly Albert Crescent and Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, dominate the local geography, featuring massive, century-old banyan and mahogany trees that provide extensive canopy cover.
As part of the western coastal belt of Sri Lanka, the precinct sits only a few kilometers from the Indian Ocean, meaning the area experiences coastal breezes that slightly moderate the tropical heat.