The establishment of the Indo-Portuguese museum was an endeavor by the former Bishop late Dr. Joseph Kureethra. The Portuguese invasion in Kerala in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century in Kerala had left a lasting mark on the state's culture, architecture as well as its history. Known as the Fort Emmanuel by Portuguese, the building was left neglected amidst the mushrooming modernity but was restored later.  The museum thus evokes the colonial past of Kerala and accentuates on the influences on Fort Kochi. It also underlines the Portuguese influence on the surrounding western areas through an array of gorgeous artifacts.