Kuantan Museums and Art Galleries

(Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia)

As you will soon realise, Kuantan and the state of which it is capital are not exactly buzzing hives of cultural activity. However, there are a few interesting museums (muziums) scattered around the region, which showcase the history and heritage of the area.

Notable are the Sultan Abdul Bakar State Museum and the Terengganu State Museum, neither of which, unfortunately, are located in Kuantan, being instead found in the nearby royal town of Pekan, just under an hour to the north.

Sultan Abu Bakar State Museum

Address: Jalan Sultan Ahmad, Pekan, Malaysia, MY
Tel: +60 09 422 1371
This superb attraction is dedicated to displaying the history of Pahang's Sultanate, and offers valuable collections of Chinese antiques, historical and ethnographical documents, and innumerable ceramics. Very stately in its appearance, the Sultan Abu Bakar State Museum is to be found within a particularly grand building, which was constructed in the late 1920s by the British.
Open hours: - Tuesday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday - 09:00 to 17:30; 09:00 to 17:30; Friday - 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Watercraft and Boat Museum

Address: Jalan Sultan Ahmad, Pekan, Malaysia, MY
Opposite the Sultan Abu Bakar State Museum and located on the river island is the Waterways and Boat Museum (Galeri Pengangkutan Air), an interesting record of sea and river travel in the region. Expect diverse models of all styles of water craft used to navigate the region's rivers and coastline before the advent of motorised water transportation. Especially notable is a boat with the carved head of a fierce-looking mythical creature.
Open hours: Tuesday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday - 09:00 to 17:30; 09:00 to 17:30; Friday - 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Sungai Lembing Museum

Address: Sungei Lembing, Malaysia, MY
Tel: +60 09 541 2378
Located in the nearby town of Sungei Lembing, this is Pahang's state museum, primarily dedicated to showcasing the history of tin and coal mining in the region, which was operated by the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited (PCCL), a British company that finally ceased trading in 1986. Dioramas display the working conditions of the miners and show them in the tunnels, and old mining equipment, apparel and household items give a glimpse into the olden days of this hazardous occupation.
Open hours: Tuesday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday - 09:00 to 17:30; 09:00 to 17:30; Friday - 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Pulau Keladi Cultural Village

Address: Pulau Keladi, Pekan, Malaysia, MY
Apart from the traditional houses which make up the Pulau Keladi Cultural Village, this complex is home to a memorial museum to Malaysia's second Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak bin Hussein Al-Haj (1922 to 1976). This interesting attraction contains memorabilia and personal possessions of the great man, who was actually born in this very village and served as Malaysia's prime minister between 1970 and 1976.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Museum of Pulau Tioman

Address: Kampung Tekek, Pulau Tioman (Tioman Island), Pahang, Malaysia, MY
Tel: +60 09 419 1360
This little museum displays the history of Tioman Island, which is often referred to as Gunung Daik Bercabang Tiga and lies just over 30 km / 19 miles off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia, to the south-east of Kuantan itself. Visitors will find a variety of exhibits, including shards of ancient Chinese porcelain recovered by divers from shipwreck sites nearby. Of particular interest, Tioman Island was used as a location in the 1958 film version of the much-loved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, when it represented the mystical island of Balai Hai.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Museum Tokoh Pahang

Address: Jalan Masjid, Kuantan, Malaysia, MY
Tel: +60 09 516 1328
Located in the city and on the Jalan Masjid, where it goes by the name of the Pahang Heroes Museum, this is essentially a hall of fame for the state's much-loved heroes and historic personages. For an understanding of the national psyche of Pahang Darul Makmur, the Tokoh Pahang makes for an interesting visit.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Terengganu State Museum Complex

Address: Bukit Losong, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, MY
Tel: +60 09 622 1444
The Terengganu State Museum Complex is a must-see if you are in Terengganu and into the history and culture of this region. The largest complex of its kind in Asia, its many buildings offer displays of textiles, royal history, crafts, natural history, maritime history, Islamic treasures, traditional housing and a great deal more. Allow a full day at least, since you will certainly need it to explore properly.
Open hours: Saturday to Thursday - 09:00 to 17:00; Friday - 09:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Pahang Art Gallery

Address: Kuantan, Malaysia, MY
Opened a few years ago after an ongoing battle to find a venue, this gallery showcases work by local Malaysian artists, mostly in the contemporary style, and was established to meet the growing need for permanent display space for exhibitions. The Pahang Art Gallery has quickly gained a loyal following and also exhibits examples of the region's famous batik printed textiles, where elaborate patterns are created by first painting fabric with molten wax, before dying.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free