The Penang State Museum on Farquhar Street has reopened its doors after more than nine years of restoration and upgrading works costing RM18 million. The museum shut in April 2017 and will welcome the public with free admission until 31 August, according to Free Malaysia Today.
State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the restoration took longer than expected because the museum occupies a Category One heritage building that required specialist conservation work. The Covid-19 pandemic further delayed the project by about two-and-a-half years, when construction halted and the contractor struggled to source imported materials.
Work proceeded in phases, starting with structural repairs to the roof, water leakage and toilets, before moving to interior design and exhibition fit-out. Last year, the Penang Public Works Department issued a notice of non-compliance to the contractor over delays, and a new contractor was appointed to complete the remaining works. JKR handed the building to the museum department on 9 March this year.
Director Haryany Mohamad said her curatorial team needed four months to install the artefacts and complete the displays. The upgraded museum now features 15 exhibition spaces with about 1,200 artefacts covering Penang’s history from prehistoric discoveries at Gua Kepah to the state’s development before and after independence.
Among the key additions are cashless payment systems, self-service kiosks and augmented reality experiences. The museum also features AI-assisted interpretation and audio-visual presentations, as reported by NST. Unlike before, visitors can now photograph exhibits and share them on social media, according to The Star.
The museum has also brought out artefacts that were previously kept in storage and restored them for public display. A new multi-purpose hall can accommodate 30 to 40 people for school groups, guided talks and educational programmes. Upper-level access for persons with disabilities is now available, replacing the previous arrangement where only the ground floor was accessible.
Visitors can also explore an on-site archaeological excavation area within the museum compound, believed to be the only such exhibit inside a museum building in Malaysia. The excavation, carried out in collaboration with Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Centre for Global Archaeological Research, revealed remains linked to the original school structure that once stood on the grounds before parts of it were destroyed during World War II.
The museum building has a history spanning about 200 years, as reported by Malay Mail. Constructed in two phases in 1896 and 1906, it initially housed Penang Free School until the school relocated in 1927. Hutchings School later occupied the premises until its old wing was destroyed during the war. Former Penang Free School pupil and then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman suggested converting the building into a state museum, which officially opened in 1965.
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ramli Ngah Talib is expected to attend the reopening ceremony. The museum will open from Saturday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm. The entrance fee after 31 August will be announced later.
