The basket building
An octagonal building shaped like a woven basket.
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 3.0
A modern art gallery in Kota Kinabalu, founded in 1984 and housed for some years in a striking octagonal building shaped like a traditional woven basket, drawing on the basketry of Sabah's peoples. The building was certified as a green building in 2012. The gallery has two halls: a permanent one holding more than three thousand works by local and international artists, paintings, sculptures and pieces inspired by Sabah's nature and cultures, and a hall of changing temporary exhibitions. It also hosts workshops, competitions and art events. Entry is a token fee of about five ringgit per adult, less for students, with young children free. It opens daily from nine to five. The building itself deserves a photograph from outside; inside it is air-conditioned and calm, and an hour is enough. It suits art lovers and pairs with the nearby Sabah Museum for a cultural half day.
An octagonal building shaped like a woven basket.
By local and international artists.
Officially certified eco-friendly.
Jalan Shantung, south of central Kota Kinabalu
Sabah MuseumThe state museum of Sabah, on Old Palace Hill south of the city centre, in a com17 minutes walk
Sabah Islamic Civilisation MuseumA two-storey museum opened in 2002 close to the Sabah Museum, telling how Islam 18 minutes walk
Sabah State MosqueThe official mosque of the state of Sabah and one of modern Kota Kinabalu's land22 minutes walkThe building itself is striking and worth a photograph, and the fee is token, so it is a pleasant short stop. For art lovers, the permanent collection gives a fine picture of art in Borneo.