Museums and galleries in George Town

Museums and galleries in George Town

1. Do

   Hin Bus Art Depot

   Art aficionadi can head to this art gallery, which periodically curates art exhibitions. It also contains open spaces for events, a garden and cafes. A pop-up market featuring local artists and other retailers is held every Sunday.

   Mon-Fri noon-10PM, Sat Sun 11AM-8PM·Entrance is free of charge

2. See

   Made in Penang Interactive Museum

   Housed within the Behn-Meyer Building which was built in the late 19th century, this interactive museum features various three-dimensional interactive art pieces that depict Penang's culture, history and lifestyle.

   Daily 10AM-6:30PM·RM37.10 for adults (RM26.50 for Malaysian citizens), and RM26.50 for children and the elderly (RM15.90 for Malaysian citizens)

3. Do

   Paintball at Penang War Museum

   What better way to enjoy a paintball match than a historical setting at a former British fortress? Packages are available for groups of 10 to 20.

4. See

   Penang State Museum

   Formerly the Penang Free School which was built in two separate stages in 1896 and 1906. The museum is an interesting starting point to discover the multi-ethnic background of George Town. Two floors display the history of the immigrant community that participated in the creation of the present city. The museum also exhibits the paintings of Captain Robert Smith and the lovely engravings of William Daniell. Other exhibits include a former Penang Hill railway carriage, a handwritten Qur`an and old Malay weapons donated by the family of the late Dato' Haji Fathil Basheer. The museum has moved from its original site in Farquhar Street, to 57 Jalan Macalister; only parts of the exhibition are on display.

   Sat-Thu 9AM-5PM·RM1 for all visitors

5. See

   Penang Time Tunnel Museum

   An interactive museum that features three-dimensional artwork about Penang's history.

   Mon-Fri 9:15AM-6PM; Sat Sun and public holidays: 9:15AM-6:30PM·RM29 for adults (RM16 for Malaysian citizens), RM16 for children between 5 and 12 (RM8 for Malaysian citizens), and RM16 for students (RM11 for Malaysian citizens with student ID)

6. See

   St. George's Church

   The oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia was completed in 1818. The church was designed by Robert Smith, a military engineer who is known for his oil paintings of early Penang, which are now housed within the Penang State Museum. A memorial dedicated to Captain Francis Light, in the form of a Greek temple with a marble slab, stands within the church's compound. Services are still held at the church on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

   Mon-Thu 10AM-4PM

7. See

   Sun Yat-sen Museum

   The Sun Yat Sen Museum is a beautifully preserved house museum and one of the smallest museums in Asia. It houses a permanent exhibition on Sun Yat Sen’s early revolutionary period in Penang when he planned the uprising now known as the Chinese Revolution of 1911. If you are not into Chinese history, it is still worth dropping by just to see a modest, scaled down version of the traditional Chinese courtyards seen in historic mansions in town. The house was built in 1880 and is full of period furniture and details.

   Tue-Sat 9AM-5PM; Sun 1-5PM·RM5

8. See

   The Roman Catholic Museum Diocese of Penang

   The ground floor presents the origin of Catholicism in the Far East in general and in Penang in particular. It also informs about the activities of the diocese of Penang and the ethnic makeup of its members. The first floor exhibits artefacts and memorabilia of the Diocese. The Fr. Joseph Reuten's gallery, housed in the same building shows paintings of biblical and Catholic themes in an Asian manner.

   Mon-Fri 10AM-5PM; Sat 9AM-1PM·admission is free; donations are welcome

9. See

   Asia Camera Museum

   A lot of antique cameras and photographic accessories.

   10AM–6PM·RM25

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to George Town (CC BY-SA 4.0).