The Sarawak Museum has often been touted as one of the finest museums in South East Asia. Built by the Second White Rajah, Sir Charles Brooke in 1891, this French manor-styled building epitomises the classical conventional museum, which contains natural and historical artifacts rather than displays of items as modern abstract sculptures or frivolous objet d’arts exhibited by many modern museums. That this building was styled after an 18th century French manor-house adds to its antiquarian character.

Sarawak Museum actually consists of two buildings, the old wing and the new wing. The former is located on a hillock just behind the Merdeka Palace Hotel, outside the fringe of the old town centre, it is a pleasant 10 minutes walk from the Tua Peck Kong Temple and the Kuching Waterfront, (See “Kuching Heritage Walk - In the footsteps of the White Rajahs) ) both prominent tourist landmarks. The new wings, Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, is accessible via a pedestrian walkway over the busy Jalan Tun Haji Openg.

“Muzium Etnologi”, Malaysian for Ethnology Museum, the signage in front of the main entrance of the old wing seems to summarize the type of displays that the visitors will encounter as they enter. First to greet them are the preserved carcasses of Sarawak’s fauna: reptiles, fishes, tortoises, etc, all mummified in their morbid glory. Though not particularly squeamish to look at, they may induce a yawn or two. A mammoth skeleton resembling the outline of a whale may stop the visitors, but perhaps only for a 5-second perusal of its eye socket which is the size of a basketball.

The display of animal skeletons inside the museum

Entering the right wing of the building, more carcasses of small animals with complicated scientific names, truly a taxidermist’s delight. There are also the stuffed remains of a cow and a deer standing next to each other like they have been chatting eternally. The poor lightings and the creaking wooden floor (looks like termites has been feasting on it) make the kind of noise you wouldn’t like to hear in the dead of the night. The whole stuffy atmosphere reek of worn carpet. This has to be the quintessentially old-school museum Charles Darwin would love to spend his honeymoon in.

The first floor has more interesting displays. There is an exhibit of the native handicrafts like rattan household baskets, sunshade hats, fish traps, and so on. Then a display of miniature longhouses, fishing boats and vessels, a model hobbyist surely would linger here. A fascinating section devoted to old weaponry showcasing authentic fearsome looking spears and an array of Malay kerises and parangs.

A popular section is the live-size replica of the interior of a native  longhouse, complete with all the usual basic accompaniments of such abode.  A clutch of old skulls, a macabre reminder of the Iban headhunting days of old,  hangs from the rafters completes the interior decoration. Stepping on the bamboo flooring create just the right creak and feel to make you imagine you are right in middle of a longhouse in a tropical rain forest. Perhaps a background music of chirping cricket and bird would make the feeling even more authentic.

Depending on how keen you are in Natural History in your schooldays, a tour of the whole building can be completed in 5 minutes to 2 hours.

The new extension across the busy Jalan Tun Haji Openg via an overhead bridge, The Dewan Tun Abdul Razak exhibition hall,  is a much bigger premise and definitely much more sanitized than the old annexe. Within its more modern confines are even more historical artifacts, and interesting items depicting the relatively short history of Sarawak. Again, prominent display of Sarawak’s native handicrafts take up a significant space. There is also a replica of the Niah Cave, where evidences of one of the oldest Stone Age people lived in this part of the world.

This warboat was used by the Iban allied to  Rajah Charles Brooke in 1915 in an expedition to quell rebellion in the Upper Mujong River of Belaga region. It belonged to an Iban chieftain and was presented to the Sarawak Museum as an exhibit in 1969.

Outside of this building is a small landscaped garden with a burial hut, the salong,  set on top of a 20-foot tall exquisitely carved pole. A plaque at the bottom of the pole describes it as being built over a hundred years ago by the great and powerful Kayan chief, Avun Dian for the intern of his beloved daughter, Lisan. The pole was originally sited in the Belaga area, the heartland of the Kayan and Kenyah tribes, and was later presented to the Museum as an artifact.

There is a souvenir shop with an impressive selection of handicrafts and the usual t-shirts, trinkets and bric-a-bracs. A canteen is nearby for a welcome respite for weary visitors but has a rather limited menu.

Quick Facts:

Opening Hours: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Open daily. Closed on 1st day of Major Festivals.
Location: Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg.
How to get there:  About 10 mins walking distance from Waterfront.
Entrance tee: Free
Contact: Sarawak Museum, Tel: 082-244232

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