National History Museum

A trip to Kuala Lumpur is incomplete without visiting the National History Museum or Muzium Sejarah Nasional. It only ranks second in Malaysia, after the

famous Muzium Negara (National Museum). Located opposite to Dataran Merdeka or the Mederka Square, the museum is a popular place of interest for the tourists traveling from abroad and also for the locals.

A startling revelation about the National History Museum is that previously the museum building was meant for establishing a commercial bank in the first half of the 19th century. The convenient location and the surrounding were reasons enough for the change of plan that finally saw the building being transformed into a museum.

The building structure has some Moorish features apart from the appearance of motifs following Islamic tradition. The rare blend of such designs and planning has semblance with the Moghul architecture. After a smart renovation in the year 1996, the museum building was made available for public view. At present the museum has a great collection of dioramas and artifacts that portrays Malaysian historical legacy.

The type of exhibits in the museum galleries certainly proves a point in terms of revealing Malaysian heritage. Some of the most popular artifacts put on display 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.

Historical data shows that the museum building was renovated keeping in mind certain specific objectives. The construction was taken over by the Department of Museum Malaysia. In course of time, it became a major tourist attraction in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The building construction actually marked an persistent attempt to give attention

that the heritage properties of the nation deserve.

Located in the central region of Kuala Lumpur, the National History Museum can be reached by availing several transport facilities. There are particular buses that start from Chow Kit. Other buses plying the Central Market can be also availed. The LRT and taxi are other options for reaching the place. The Museum entrance fee is RM 1.00 and is opened between 9.00am to 6.00pm, including the Saturdays and Sundays of a month. However the museum remains closed on the first day of the Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji holidays.

A stroll in the exhibition galleries reveals enough facts about the historical progression of Tanah Melayu. The wide kaleidoscope of the Tanah Melayu civilization has been given episodic treatment. The whole museum building is divided into three levels or floors, the lower level, level 1 and level 2. Apart from the permanent exhibits in the galleries, temporary exhibitions are also held on regular basis.

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