National History Museum, Kuala Lumpur

The National History Museum is housed in this historical building which was formerly occupied by the Standard Chartered Bank during the colonial days. The museum exhibits important collections of Malaysian history under one roof.

Among the important items exhibited here are a table used for the signing of the 1874 Pangkor Treaty that leads to the British interference in the administration of the Malay states and also the First Federation of Malaya flag which was raised after the Union Jack flag was lowered in signaling the independence of the Malay states on the night of August 31, 1957.

Besides having impressive collections, the architecture of this museum also displays unique features based on its Moorish architecture circa 1800s. Located right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and surrounded by many monuments and historical buildings make it all the more accessible and nostalgic to visit.

The National History Museum is housed in the first bank to open a branch in Kuala Lumpur, the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, which opened its doors in 1888 and then moved here in 1891. The original building had to be replaced by the present three-storey structure in 1909, as it proved inadequate. The great flood of 1926 caused the bank's vaults to be inundated. Business continued as usual upstairs in the living quarters, while staff had to be ferried by sampan. Millions of dollars of water soaked bank notes were laid out on the Padang in front to dry and guarded by the police! The museum building was renovated in 1996 and turned into the National History Museum which exhibits all kinds of animals native and not native to Malaysia.

Open: 9am-6pm. Admission: Free.

Originally built as a commercial bank in 1910, the building was chosen to become a museum due to its convenient location, and its surroundings. The Moorish features and Islamic motifs of this tri-level building blend well with the neighbouring Mogul buildings. In 1996, the renovated building opened its doors as the National History Museum. It now houses a permanent collection of artefacts and dioramas depicting the wealth of Malaysia's historical heritage. Exhibits include 520 million-year-old metamorphic sandstone, a 40,000-year-old Homo sapiens skull and an eight-sided gold coin dating back to the 15th century. Admission Free.

If you're a tourist and can't afford the time to visit a big museum, then I'd suggest you to visit this little one with much info of the country you're visiting - Malaysia.

It was open sometime in 1996 and is close to Merdeka Square where the talllest flag pole is. In there, you will get to see the table where the Treaty of Pangkor was signed in 1874. The architecture of this building is somewhat Moorish influenced. Admission is free.

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What a very enriching stop over, very educational place. This museum has exhibits relating to Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage and history. If you are going to do a lot of reading here, you’ll spend about 2 hours or more. Admission is RM2 for adults and RM1 for children.

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This building used to be a bank ( the Chartered Bank of India,Australia and China since 1888 ) and during the great floods of 1926, the bank's vaults were flooded and water rose to 1 m. above the floor. Business was transacted upstairs in the living quarters and the staffs was transported by sampan to work. Later, millions of dollars of soggy bank notes were laid out on the Padang to dry, under the watchful eye of the police.
On 2 April 1996, the renovated building opened its doors to the public as the Natioanal History Museum with a permanent exhibition on Malaysia's historical development.
It's free of charge for visiting.

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Displays a unique permanent collection of artifacts and materials showcasing the history and heritage of Malaysia.