National Museum

National Museum is perhaps Malaysia's most treasured museum is located near Lake Gardens and houses some of the nation's most important historic heritage. The architecture of the National Museum comprises 26 concrete pillars (13 pillars to the east and the west of the building, representing the states in Malaysia), positioned to reflect the features of a traditional Malay palace.

The museum is within walking distance from KL Sentral Station. Just walk out of the station towards Le Meridian/Hilton Hotel and try to search the hotel which should be in sight on the right hand side.

The building has a fine blend of traditional Malay style and modern lines. Its facade is graced by two colossal murals of Italian glass mosaics highlighting the important historical events and crafts in Malaysia

The mural on the west side of the building illustrates the economic activities, traditional ceremonies and customs inherited by the Malaysian society.

On the east side of the building, the mural represents a chronological event significant to the Malay History from the eminent Malacca Malay Sultanate, colonization and the independence of Malaysia in 1957.

Visitors can walk down memory lane as they make their way through the museum's four main galleries; Gallery A (Early History), Gallery B (The Malay Kingdoms), Gallery C (The Colonial Era) & Gallery D (Malaysia Today)

The galleries will take the visitors back through the nation's development over the past few decades and they get the chance to relive Malaysian history. The management charge an entrance fee of RM2 for visitor entering the museum building.

On the first floor is Gallery A which traces the discovery of the stone tools of the Paleolithic Age to the Hindu Buddhist relics in Lembah Bujang.

Gallery B outlines the history of the early Malay Kingdoms in the Archipelago with special reference the Malay Kingdoms of Melaka in the 15th century.

Gallery C on the 2nd Floor charts the coming of the Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese and the subsequent effects on the political, social and economic situation of Malaya.

This diorama depicts the view from a Portuguese ship attacking Malacca in 1511. The Potuguese launched their first attack on the port of Malacca on 25 July 1511 but was strongly resisted by the Malaccans. On 10 August 1511, there was a second attempt and subsequently on 24 August 1511, the Portuguese finally captured Malacca. The Portuguese burned all ships docked at the Malacca port.

In our history lesson, we read about Bunga Emas (Golden Flower) and I finally get to see what is it really look like in the museum. The Bunga Emas is made of quality gold was a special gift sent triennial by the Sultans of the Northern Malay States of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Patani to the once powerful King of Siam in Bangkok as a symbol of friendship. The sending of the Bunga Emas began in the 14th century in a colourful ceremony accompanied by four spears with gilded shafts, a keris encrusted with precious stones, a spittoon, a tobacco box, a bouquet of betel leaves and two rings. The practice of sending the Bunga Emas was discontinued by the end of the 19th century.

Gallery D guides the visitor through the unwavering struggle of the various races for independence of a new nation and the glorious achievements of Malaysia until today.

This is a model of a Tin Dredge which plays an important role once upon a time in our country. It resembles a floating factory with a flat bottom, sides and a roof on an artificial lake. It carries a chain of heavy buckets to scoop out the alluvial tin and transport it to the body of the dredge. The excavated material is broken up by jets of water as it falls on the revolving screens. The tin bearing material passes to a primary separating plant, while large stones and rubble are retained by the screens.

The first tin dredge was introduced by Malayan Tin Dredging Ltd in the Kinta Valley tin field in 1913. By 1940, 123 dredges were in operation and this was the highest total number of dredges ever recorded in the country. This number began to diminish by 1981. Presently, there is not a single dredge in operation.

Old currencies used in Borneo (Sarawak) during the Brooke era

This is the HMS Malaya Cup donated by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to the museum. HMS Malaya Cup was first organised in 1921 to pioneer the Malaysia Cup football competition. It was a follow-up with the visit of the British ship HMS Malaya when its crew played friendly rugby and soccer matches with the local residents to win the Cup, courtesy of Captain Buller. In 1967, the Malaya Cup changed its name to the Malaysia Cup. Names of the winning teams in chronology are inscribed on the surface of the Cup.