Free tour
Museum and craftsmen's workshop.
Khairul hazim — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Frostpolar — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Frostpolar — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Frostpolar — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Frostpolar — CC BY-SA 4.0
The visitor centre of Royal Selangor, one of the world's best-known makers of pewter, a gleaming tin alloy it began crafting in Kuala Lumpur in 1885, when the city was a hub of tin mining. It stands beside the company's factory in Setapak. Entry is free, and a visit starts with a guided walk through a small museum telling the story of tin and the company, then a workshop where you watch craftsmen cast, polish and engrave the metal by hand. At the entrance stands a giant pewter tankard that visitors pose with. The centre runs a paid workshop called the School of Hard Knocks, where you hammer a small pewter dish with traditional tools and take it home; it suits adults and children and is best booked ahead. There is a large shop and a café. It opens daily from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon; get there by taxi or on city tours that pair it with the Batu Caves, not far away.
Museum and craftsmen's workshop.
A hands-on pewter workshop.
A photo at the entrance.
Setapak Jaya, north-east of central Kuala Lumpur, about twenty minutes by car
Yes, the tour is short and engaging, and the dish-making workshop suits children of a suitable age; book it in advance.