Kota Kinabalu Art Galleries

(Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia)

The arts scene in Kota Kinabalu is quite reasonable and many of the best pieces are to be found on display at the Sabah State Museum and Heritage Village, where paintings and sculptures are accompanied by local relics from the past.

Also quite notable is the city's Borneo Art Gallery, as well as the Sabah Art Gallery, which was founded in the middle of the 1980s to provide an important venue for local art works to be exhibited. With objectives to both collect and preserve art, the Sabah Gallery actively works to promote the appreciation of regional art throughout the state of Sabah.

Sabah Art Gallery

Address: Jalan Muzium / Jalan Kebajikan, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, MY
Tel: +60 088 268 798
Currently situated just off the Penampang Road and occupying the Science Centre's first floor, this venue currently boasts a permanent collection of some 1,500 individual pieces, which come in the form of paintings, sculptures, carvings and various impressive installations, created by Malaysian artists. Each year, the Sabah Art Gallery hosts various activities and some 12 temporary exhibitions (roughly one a month), including themes such as water colours, graphics and cartoons, drawings and more. Every month, around 5,000 visitors come here for their spot of art appreciation.
Open hours: Saturday to Thursday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts for locals

Borneo Art Gallery

Address: Asia City, Jalan Kampung Air 2, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, MY
Tel: +60 088 280 707
Offering a pleasant change from the Sabah Art Gallery is the Borneo Art Gallery in the Asia City complex. It resides upstairs and displays works of local and regional artists. All paintings are for sale, with realistic prices, and you can easily walk here from the city centre. This is a good place to pick up a quality holiday souvenir, with original landscape paintings of local scenery being available.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:00 to 21:00, Sunday - 09:00 to 15:00
Admission: free