The National History Museum Kuala Lumpur or Muzium Sejarah Negara is the second national museum in Malaysia after Muzium Negara. It is located opposite Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.

The museum’s building was previously an old building of 100 years old which had a history of its own. Originally, the building was a small structure built with wood and bricks.

Historical notes and inscriptions revealed that this building was first erected in 1888 to house the headquarters of the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, which was the first commercial bank operating in Kuala Lumpur. The bank is now known as the Standard Chartered Bank of Malaysia.

The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China opened its doors in Kuala Lumpur in 1888. In 1891, the bank moved it’s business to the new premises at the present National History Museum site for security considerations because it is close to the police headquarters on Bluff Road (now Jalan Bukit Aman).

However, the original old building structure was torn down and it was rebuilt using a combination of the characteristics typical of the Mughal and Islamic architecture. The person responsible for designing the new building was A.C Norman, who was at that time the Public Works Department’s Acting Superintendent-cum-State Architect.

Mughal Architecture

The Mughal architecture and Islamic motifs of this tri-level building blend well with the neighbouring Mughal buildings. Initially, there was a single-storey wing to the building which extended onto Jalan Raja. This had to be demolished when Jalan Raja was widened. In its place, arches were placed there to embellish the blank wall.

During the Japanese Occupation, this National History Museum Kuala Lumpur building was used by the Japanese Telecommunication Department. Once the war was over, the function of the building as the main commercial bank was revived and lasted in 1965.

The building was later occupied by the Kuala Lumpur District and Land Office which is now known as the Federal Territory Department of Land and Mines before it was taken over by the Federal Territory Religious Affairs Office or now better known as the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAWI). On the 24th October 1991 this building was officially handed over to the Department of Museum and Antiquities to be turned into the National History Museum Kuala Lumpur.

Museological Actvities

The National History Museum Kuala Lumpur enables you to discover the wealth of Malaysia’s historical heritage through its permanent exhibition of artifacts and materials.

The National History Museum Kuala Lumpur carries out museological activities such as research, collection, recording and publication in regard to the nation’s treasures. Among the important items displayed are the table on which the 1874 Pangkor Treaty was signed, and the First Federation of Malaya flag raised after the Union Jack flag was lowered signaling the independence of the Malay states from Britain on the night of August 31, 1957.

Among other exhibits that you can find include a 520 million-year-old metamorphic sandstone, a 40,000-year-old homo sapien skulls and an eight-sided gold coin dating back to the 15th century.

National History Museum Kuala Lumpur
29, Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2694 4590

Open: 9am – 6pm, daily
Admission: Free

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