Interior, Penang State Museum, Penang, Malaysia

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Penang Museum

George Town


Penang's state-run museum includes exhibits on the history, customs and traditions of the island’s various ethnic groups, with photos, videos, documents, costumes, furniture and other well-labelled, engaging displays. The history gallery includes a collection of early-19th-century watercolours by Captain Robert Smith, an engineer with the East India Company, and prints showing landscapes of old Penang.

On our visit, the museum's usual location on Lr Farquhar was undergoing renovation and exhibitions were temporarily rehoused here at the Penang State Museum Board. When finished in 2020, it's expected to return to Lr Farquhar.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby George Town attractions

1. Penang State Museum Board

Some of the Penang Museum's temporary exhibitions can be seen here at their main offices in the buildings of a former hospital.

2. Penang Jewish Cemetery

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Believed to be the oldest single Jewish burial ground in Southeast Asia, here you'll find some 107 graves, the earliest of which dates back to 1835. The…

3. Top at KOMTAR

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There are all kinds of attractions – most targeted at families – in this major revamp of part of George Town's iconic KOMTAR tower. The biggest draw is…

4. Penang State Gallery

0.26 MILES

This commercial-feeling museum offers a rather breezy overview of the state's history.

5. Hin Bus Depot

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The industrial remains of this former bus station have become a vibrant hub for George Town's burgeoning contemporary art scene. There are cafes and pop…

6. Rainbow Skywalk

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Located at the tippy top of George Town's iconic but homely KOMTAR tower, Rainbow Skywalk offers a variety of elevated activities, from a rooftop…

7. Tech Dome Penang

0.28 MILES

More than 120 science and technology exhibits form the basis of this highly interactive, educational museum aimed squarely at school kids. It's all pretty…

8. Komik Asia

0.3 MILES

If you don't know your Lat from your Tezuka Osamu, then this is the place to become more closely acquainted with the dynamic work of comic-book artists…