2026 guide
Islamic art, Peranakan mansions, royal regalia and interactive galleries. The perfect air-conditioned escape on a hot afternoon.
Last updated 31 October 2026 ยท 11 places ยท 10 states
โก Quick answer ยท Last updated 31 October 2026
The best museums in Malaysia in 2026 are Borneo Cultures Museum (Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Kuching), Sarawak, followed by Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Pinang Peranakan Mansion (George Town) and National Museum (Muzium Negara) (Kuala Lumpur).
๐ก Pro tip: Many state museums close on Mondays or Fridays. MyKad holders often pay lower rates, so bring ID.
Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Kuching, Sarawak
Sarawak's grand new museum, a huge modern building that tells the stories of Borneo's many peoples through 8 galleries of artefacts, textiles and natural history. It is one of the largest museums in Southeast Asia and a must on any Kuching trip.
Don't miss: The Gallery of Many Voices and the longhouse and ritual displays
Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur
Southeast Asia's biggest museum of Islamic art, with calligraphy, jewellery, textiles and architectural models laid out across several floors. The dome interiors and the scale models of great mosques are what get everyone reaching for their phones.
Don't miss: The scale models of Masjid al-Haram, the Dome of the Rock and the Taj Mahal
Church Street, George Town, Penang
A glittering 19th-century Hokkien-Peranakan mansion stuffed with gilded carvings, heirloom furniture and thousands of antiques. Guided visits explain what daily life looked like for a Straits Chinese tycoon.
Don't miss: The gold-leaf carved screens and the Nyonya kebaya display
Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur
The best place to get Malaysia's whole story in one go, from prehistoric finds and Malay sultanates to colonial times and independence. The Minangkabau-style roof and the big mosaics out front make it easy to spot.
Don't miss: The Malay Kingdoms and Independence galleries
Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka, Melaka
Step into a family-owned 1896 Peranakan townhouse on Heeren Street where the family's furniture, porcelain and beaded slippers are still on display. Guided tours are included and give you the full backstory.
Don't miss: The airwell courtyard and the Nyonya wedding chamber
Bukit Istana Lama, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
A hilltop museum complex with a Heritage Village of traditional Sabah houses, a vintage steam locomotive and the Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum. The big longhouse-style Main Building has been closed since September 2024, so plan around the outdoor village and the other galleries.
Don't miss: The Heritage Village of traditional Sabah houses
Losong, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu
One of the largest museums in Southeast Asia, spread across a river-side complex with a main building shaped like a Terengganu palace. Exhibits cover songket, boat-building, Islamic heritage and the sultanate.
Don't miss: The traditional boat-building gallery and the replica timber palace
Taman Tasik Taiping, Taiping, Perak
Often called the oldest museum in Malaysia, set in a colonial-style building next to Taiping's lake gardens. It has ethnological collections, weapons and a section on Perak's history.
Don't miss: The colonial building itself and its Perak ethnology gallery
Pekan town, Pekan, Pahang
A museum set in the old Sultan's palace in Pekan, showcasing royal regalia, weaponry and Pahang's history. A rewarding side trip if you are driving between Kuantan and the south.
Don't miss: The royal regalia and heirloom weapons
Bandar Kota Bharu, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
A cheery butter-yellow palace built in 1939 as a royal residence and wedding venue, now opened up as Kelantan's royal museum. Inside you'll find the family's furniture, crystal, regalia and photographs kept much as they were. Small and easy, it pairs nicely with the old palaces and Pasar Siti Khadijah a short walk away.
Don't miss: The preserved royal rooms with original furniture and family portraits
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Kuching, Sarawak
Sarawak's grand new museum, a huge modern building that tells the stories of Borneo's many peoples through 8 galleries of artefacts, textiles and natural history. It is one of the largest museums in Southeast Asia and a must on any Kuching trip.
Don't miss: The Gallery of Many Voices and the longhouse and ritual displays
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur
Southeast Asia's biggest museum of Islamic art, with calligraphy, jewellery, textiles and architectural models laid out across several floors. The dome interiors and the scale models of great mosques are what get everyone reaching for their phones.
Don't miss: The scale models of Masjid al-Haram, the Dome of the Rock and the Taj Mahal
Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur
The best place to get Malaysia's whole story in one go, from prehistoric finds and Malay sultanates to colonial times and independence. The Minangkabau-style roof and the big mosaics out front make it easy to spot.
Don't miss: The Malay Kingdoms and Independence galleries
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Church Street, George Town, Penang
A glittering 19th-century Hokkien-Peranakan mansion stuffed with gilded carvings, heirloom furniture and thousands of antiques. Guided visits explain what daily life looked like for a Straits Chinese tycoon.
Don't miss: The gold-leaf carved screens and the Nyonya kebaya display
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka, Melaka
Step into a family-owned 1896 Peranakan townhouse on Heeren Street where the family's furniture, porcelain and beaded slippers are still on display. Guided tours are included and give you the full backstory.
Don't miss: The airwell courtyard and the Nyonya wedding chamber
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Bukit Istana Lama, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
A hilltop museum complex with a Heritage Village of traditional Sabah houses, a vintage steam locomotive and the Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum. The big longhouse-style Main Building has been closed since September 2024, so plan around the outdoor village and the other galleries.
Don't miss: The Heritage Village of traditional Sabah houses
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Losong, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu
One of the largest museums in Southeast Asia, spread across a river-side complex with a main building shaped like a Terengganu palace. Exhibits cover songket, boat-building, Islamic heritage and the sultanate.
Don't miss: The traditional boat-building gallery and the replica timber palace
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Taman Tasik Taiping, Taiping, Perak
Often called the oldest museum in Malaysia, set in a colonial-style building next to Taiping's lake gardens. It has ethnological collections, weapons and a section on Perak's history.
Don't miss: The colonial building itself and its Perak ethnology gallery
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Pekan town, Pekan, Pahang
A museum set in the old Sultan's palace in Pekan, showcasing royal regalia, weaponry and Pahang's history. A rewarding side trip if you are driving between Kuantan and the south.
Don't miss: The royal regalia and heirloom weapons
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Bandar Kota Bharu, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
A cheery butter-yellow palace built in 1939 as a royal residence and wedding venue, now opened up as Kelantan's royal museum. Inside you'll find the family's furniture, crystal, regalia and photographs kept much as they were. Small and easy, it pairs nicely with the old palaces and Pasar Siti Khadijah a short walk away.
Don't miss: The preserved royal rooms with original furniture and family portraits
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
Km 24 Jalan Pahang, Gombak, Selangor
A small, thoughtful museum on the culture of Peninsular Malaysia's Orang Asli, with crafts, blowpipes and traditional house models. Worth the short hop out of KL for something different.
Don't miss: The traditional house models and blowpipe displays
โ ๏ธ Not yet re-verified for 2026. Check fees, hours and that it is open before you go.
Nothing here matches your filters. Clear a filter to see more.
The best museums in Malaysia in 2026 are Borneo Cultures Museum (Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Kuching), followed by Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Pinang Peranakan Mansion (George Town) and National Museum (Muzium Negara) (Kuala Lumpur).
Borneo Cultures Museum, Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Pinang Peranakan Mansion, National Museum (Muzium Negara) and Sabah State Museum
Borneo Cultures Museum (Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Kuching)
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur) and National Museum (Muzium Negara) (Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur)
Pinang Peranakan Mansion (Church Street, George Town)
Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum (Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka)
Many state museums close on Mondays or Fridays. MyKad holders often pay lower rates, so bring ID.