Malaysia's largest museum
Opened in 2022 over several floors.
愛子棋枰 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Horatio Wong — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cerevisae — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cerevisae — CC BY-SA 4.0
The largest museum in Malaysia and the second largest in Southeast Asia, opened in March 2022 a few steps from the waterfront at a cost of more than three hundred million ringgit. Its architecture draws on the motifs of Sarawak's traditional crafts, and its galleries spread over several floors to tell the story of Borneo's peoples and cultures. The galleries are arranged by theme: the rivers and life along them, living in harmony with nature, changes through time from prehistory to today, and treasures of old crafts and trade. The displays are modern and interactive, with screens and models, alongside many original objects from the heritage of Sarawak and Borneo. Entry for non-Malaysians is about fifty ringgit per adult, twenty-five for students aged 13 to 17 and for seniors, and twenty for children up to 12. It opens Monday to Friday 09:00-16:45 and on weekends and holidays 09:30-16:30, with last entry at four, and closes on some public holidays. Allow two hours at least, ideally in the morning; the museum is air-conditioned and a comfortable refuge from the midday heat. It is close to the Islamic Heritage Museum and the old City Mosque, so the three make one outing.
Opened in 2022 over several floors.
Rivers, nature, crafts and history.
Screens and models alongside originals.
Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, near the waterfront
Sarawak Islamic Heritage MuseumA quiet museum in a handsome historic building, put up in the early 1930s under 1 minute walk
Kuching City Mosque (Old Mosque)One of Kuching's loveliest and most distinctive landmarks: a mosque with pink wa5 minutes walk
Kuching Waterfront and Darul Hana BridgeThe waterfront is the heart of Kuching and its loveliest part: a promenade of ab8 minutes walk
Chinese History Museum, KuchingA small, elegant building on the waterfront, built in 1912 as the headquarters o9 minutes walk
Fort Margherita and the Brooke GalleryA small white fort in the style of an English castle, built in 1879 by Charles B12 minutes walkFor museum lovers, yes: it is the newest and fullest display of Borneo's cultures and needs about half a day. For a quick glimpse, the nearby Islamic Heritage Museum and Chinese History Museum are free.