Monday, January 10, 2011

National Textiles Museum

I came across the National Textiles Museum by accident when exploring the Merdeka Square along Jalan Sultan Hishamudin.

This Moorish style building was built in 1896 to house the Headquarters of the Federated Malay States Railway. In 1917, the building was given to the Selangor government and became Selangor Public Works Department.

Before it became a museum, the building was previously occupied by Selangor Water Department, Central Bank, Agricultural Bank, Malaysian Craft and High Court. The building was gazetted as historic building in 1983.

The rear building has more physical appeal with glass panels been added to its facade. This also serve as an entrance to the musuem. Admission to the museum is free (9am - 6pm daily).

There are a few galleries inside the museum. The Pelangi Gallery exhibits some of the selected heritage collections such as the different types of batiks and their growth over the years.

This is the process of stamp-printing batik using copper block, which is dipped into a wax container and then placed straight into the fabric spread out on the table.

The collection of the Chinese community and those of the Baba and Nyonya which are rich with their use of silk and gold threads and beadings.

The fine and varied motifs of ethnic Sarawak and Sabah textile collection.

The Pohon Budi Gallery showcases the origin of textiles from the pre-historic times as well as its growth through trade. Also exhibited are the tools, materials and traditional techniques of textile-making through the processes of weaving, embroidery, batik-making, gold embroidering, knitting and beading work with particular focus on the country's predominant textiles such as the songket, pua kumbu, telepuk, tekatan, keringkam, linangkit, kain pis, decorative beads and batik.

Ratna Sari Gallery exhibits jewelry items and personal adornments of the various ethnic groups in Malaysia made of gold, silver, copper, beads and plants, which are designed to be worn on the various parts of the body, from head to toe.

This is a solid gold Malay workmanship belt buckle featuring an embossed lotus flower design of twisted gold wire and granules. The whole of buckle are studded with hued gemstones. This is the regalia of the Kelantan's royalty circa 18th century. Weighting 334.7g, it was listed under the National Heritage List in 14th February 2009 under the Tangible Heritage Object.

Here are the various traditional clothes worn by different races in Malaysia

5 comments:

SJB aka SUELYN J-B. said...

Cool place to visit.

wenn said...

wow..great!

escape said...

that's how valuable those woove clothes are. i hope we too get the chance to have all our traditional woven clothes in one place.

Johnny Ong said...

i didnt even know that this museum existed

kkgoh said...

you won't find them wearing them casually except for festival or special occasion