Thursday, 4 December 2014

HERITAGE ATTRACTIONS AT THE MUSEUMS

National Museum Kuala Lumpur
The history of a country tells a lot about the future it’s heading towards. Tales of survival through times of turmoil, diligence, discipline, teamwork or progress, all represent the strengths and qualities of a nation.

Malaysia strives to preserve the stories of its past, along with the diverse cultures and traditions that have evolved and transitioned throughout the years. These are ancient lessons with everlasting reminders that history repeats itself, but if history does repeat itself, then Malaysia’s future is beautiful.

This lush, green nation has a lot to offer. Passing through every state and major city, you will realise the abundance of museums and ancient landmarks that have been maintained and respected even after all this time. Each museum holds a unique theme, like science, historic figures or culture. Here is a list of the most frequented museums in Malaysia that would definitely be worth visiting.

National Museum: 

First thing first, for a general overview of Malaysia's history and culture, hop on over to the National Museum located on Jalan Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur. Known as Muzium Negara, the museum is situated in close proximity to the Perdana Lake Gardens as a palatial structure built in the style of Rumah Gadang, an aspect of Minangkabau architecture. Its facade comprises elements of traditional Malay and modern features. 

Muzium Negara was officially opened on 31 August 1963, and it serves as a repository of Malaysia's rich cultural and historical heritage. The three storied structure houses four main galleries allotted to ethnology and natural history. The displays range from free-standing tableaux showing cultural events like weddings, festivals and costumes; to traditional weapons, musical instruments, arts and crafts, ceramics, and flora and fauna.

Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia: 

Islamic art is a rapidly growing sensation that has attracted enormous crowds of art lovers in recent years. Reflecting this awareness, in December 1998, Malaysia became home to Southeast Asia's largest museum of Islamic art. The building occupies 30,000 square meters, situated amid the leafy surroundings of central Kuala Lumpur's Lake Gardens.

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia houses more than seven thousand artefacts, as well as an exceptional library of Islamic-art books. The art objects on display range from the tiniest pieces of jewellery to one of the world's largest scale models of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.

The aim is to create a collection that is truly representative of the Islamic world. Instead of concentrating on works from the heartlands of Persia and the Middle East, IAMM also puts the emphasis on Asia. China and Southeast Asia are especially well represented.

The third component of the Malaysian melting pot is India, which is also given special status. India, China and the Malay world are in an exceptional category. Other parts of the collection are displayed according to type rather than geographical origins in the museum's 12 galleries.

Royal Malaysian Police Museum: 

As a long serving force, the Royal Malaysian Police has a rich history and solid vision towards their duties. So what better way to honour them by having a museum built after them, one that contains a fascinating collection of artefacts and exhibits detailing the role and history of the police force from its inception up to the present day?

On entering the museum, the first gallery explains how policing used to be carried out during the days of the early Malay Sultanates, for example where the Temenggung performed the role of police chief and prison superintendent among his many other responsibilities. This is a great way to observe detailed processes and formalities initiated by the force.

Sarawak State Museum: 

Considered to be the oldest museum in Borneo, this ancient landmark was founded in 1888 and opened in 1891 in a purpose-built building in Kuching, Sarawak. Naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace encouraged Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah of Sarawak, to establish the museum.

This facility was built to permanently house and display local indigenous arts and crafts, as well as collections of local animals. Enjoy the many wonders in culture and art that the state of Sarawak has to offer.

National History Museum: 

Nature lovers will be thrilled to know that there’s a spot that displays Malaysia in all its natural beauty. The Natural History Museum in Precinct 15, Putrajaya was established as one of the governments initiatives in collecting, documenting as well as to exhibit Malaysia's natural heritage such as the plants, animals, rocks, minerals and fossil, some of which are the country's invaluable treasures.

The Natural History Museum acts as a resource for informal science education and is dedicated to expand the public's knowledge and be beneficial to the people of Malaysia, as well as respected tourists from all over the world.

Sabah Museum: 

One of Malaysia’s most beloved states, Sabah has a diverse range of historical elements and colourful traditions that visitors definitely wouldn’t want to miss out on. The Sabah Museum offers a glimpse at these unique attributes through collections ranging from science and technology to zoology, history, culture and much more. Presently, the Museum comes under the State Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment.

Other fantastic museums worth mentioning include the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, Stadthuys, Penang Museum and Art Gallery, Maybank Numismatic Museum, Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Perak State Museum, Orang Asli Museum, Batik Painting Museum Penang and Labuan Maritime Museum. Malaysia is filled to the brim with wonders and history, so drop by for a visit of the many museums for an interesting journey back to the past.

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