More than 200 years old , the Wellington Lodge located next to the KSRTC Bus stand is  one of the earliest colonial structures built in Mysore.
There is a plaque installed on the front hall of the first floor which says this mansion was used as the residence of Arthur Wellesley from 1799 to 1801.
The building looks rather plain as  if it was made as a factory or store house, albite a big one. The original purpose is unknown.The halls of the ground floor can be accessed through a porch in the front. A pair of stairways projecting outside on the eastern side of the building gives access to the first floor.

The historic background of the era throws some light on the  intent of its construction. The fag end of the year 1799 saw the fall of Tippu Sultan and restoration of the power back to the Wodeyars of Mysore.

Though he was not commanding the assault  troops, the young Colonel Arthur Wellesley Wellington was in charge of the rear advances that secured the fort of Srirangapatna. Immediately after the fall of Tippu, he was appointed as the commandant of the region. He occupied the summer palace of Tippu Sultan, Daria Daulat Bagh, in Srirangapatna.

Soon the British East India Company appointed him as its political representative to oversee the settlement of Mysore after the Tippu regime. Since the power is now shifted back to Mysore, Srerangapatna is no more a capital city.

The Wellington Lodge was hurriedly completed in this context, near the Mysore Palace. Later in 1799 Arthur Wellesley moved his residence to the Wellington Lodge. He stayed there as the commissioner of Mysore for two years till 1801. Later he left Mysore to command the war against the Maratha Empire. In 1814 he became the first Duke of Wellington and in 1828 the prime minister of United Kingdom. In Srirangapatna you can also see the 1804 built bridge that's named after him (Wellesley Bridge).
By 1805 a much elaborate "Government House" was build near the Wellington Lodge to accommodate the high-ranking officials of the British East India Company. Later the Wellington Lodge was used as a government  office and also as a store associated with the Government House.

It was only a few decades back this otherwise neglected and getting dilapidated building was repaired and used as a museum and office of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya that is aimed at the preservation of traditional Indian art and culture.
The expansive courtyard of the Wellington Lodge is converted into an open museum, mostly of massive terracotta sculptures and folk paintings.

The first floor, entered through the flight of steps outside,  houses a gallery of modern and vintage paintings. You will find a few interesting oil paintings here though this can not be compared by any scale with the Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery housed in the Jaganmohan Palace located nearby.

The ground floor of Wellington Lodge houses the National Museum of Mankind. This is entered through a separate porch facing the lawn. The items on display are wooden and metal crafts, mostly of tribal art. There is also an impressive photo gallery.
Wellington Lodge is located across the road (Irwin Road) from the Mysore's central bus station (the Mysore KSRTC Bus stand). The place is open for visitors from 9.30 am to 5.30pm. Admission is free.