SOUTHEAST ASIA’S BEST MUSEUM: Muzium Kesenian Islam Malaysia

With 10 years of extensive travel in the whole of Southeast Asia, I have never seen any museum quite like it. I will not play safe, so I’ll say it bluntly – this is utterly the best museum in our region. *no appeals would be entertained*

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur is Southeast Asia’s largest museum of Islamic art. From curious gears to bedazzling jewelries, from ancient scripts to more bedazzling jewelries, and from exotic textile designs to yet more bedazzling jewelries!

You will see thousands of fascinating things -- The intricate details of Islamic designs from the Mid-East, China, India and Southeast Asia, the heritage, the weapons, the tapestries, the cool scale models, all of ‘em! And…have I mentioned bedazzling jewelries already?

There are 12 galleries and the exhibits are quite straight forward. No unnecessary banners and flyers, no fancy gimmicks -- Just pleasingly simple, well-lit presentation. At first, it looks plain...but if you look closely on the walls, the floor, the cieling... the intricate details are there!

The museum was officially opened on 12 December 1998 as a gift to the good people of Malaysia (and us, of course) from the Albukhary Foundation.

Location: Jalan Lembah Perdana in Kuala Lumpur. A few minutes walk from the National Mosque or the Lake Gardens. Visiting hours: 10am to 6pm; Tuesdays-Sundays and public holidays; Closed on Mondays. Entrance fee: 12 Ringgit (US$3.50/120 Baht) for adults, half the price for visitors below 18 y.o. and senior citizens. And FREE for kids below 6 (providing you don’t let them run around and ruin the exhibits! Ha!)

Southeast Asia’s most fascinating and best presented museum is the MUZIUM KESENIAN ISLAM MALAYSIA (its local name). Believe me. You gotta see it. You’d come out inspired, educated and overwhelmed with what you just saw.

When you’re in Kuala Lumpur, check their ongoing exhibitions here.

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