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Destination
Sarawak Museum Department
A step back in time
The Sarawak Museum invokes memories of
grand traditions and life forms, which provide useful
lessons for tomorrow
One of Asia’s most famous museums, the Sarawak Museum has one of the best collection of artifacts
and specimens that is unrivaled on display for public viewing. Admission is free! The massive
collections have warranted the expansion of the museum into various venues throughout Kuching
city as well as smaller museums in other towns in the state. Among the most frequented ones are
the iconic Old Sarawak Museum, standing majestically on top of the hill, the Arts Museum on the
adjacent hill slope at the same venue and the Textile Museum, located in the equally impressive Pavilion
Building of British style architecture built in 1907.
Old Sarawak Museum
This was originally known as the Sarawak Museum though
it was also popularly referred to as the Old building, which
to many is appropriate as it remains an iconic site in Kuching
City. A rich collection of mammals, birds, reptiles specimens
from Sarawak are on mounted display on the ground floor
and these represent only about 15 percent of the collections of
the museum! The top floor showcases collections of artifacts
of indigenous peoples of Sarawak, including unique ear-rings,
carvings, basketry and others.
Arts Museum
Comprising three buildings in one, the
first one built in 1892, next to the Old
Museum, was originally the Curator’s
house. Interestingly it was even used as
the British Council in the 1960s and this
was connected to the other building,
the Curator’s office, with an annex in
1965. The Curator’s office building was
built in 1907 and together, these three
buildings today becomes the Art Museum.
Numerous art pieces are on display inside
ranging from sculptors to moulds and
paintings from days gone by.
Textile Museum
Here Sarawak’s famed Pua Kumbu
made by the Iban is among the
hundreds of textile items on display.
Of interest to many are the numerous
motifs and designs which are the
trade marks of the different ethnic
groups as each has specific
characteristics attributed to them.
As the materials used in most of the
creations were all locally sourced, the
early weavers were actually going
‘green’ even before today’s realisation
of doing just that!
Sarawak Museum Department • Tun Abang Haji Openg Road, 93566 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: (6) 082 244232 Fax: (6) 082 246680
Email: museum@po.jaring.my Website: www.museum.sarawak.gov.my
16 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2010