THE newly reopened Penang State Museum on Farquhar Street has recorded an overwhelming response, drawing 47,630 visitors within its first 29 days of operation since July 24.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai stated that daily attendance has averaged nearly 1,000 visitors on weekdays, while weekend crowds have surged to as many as 3,750 visitors in a single day, with the highest turnout recorded on Aug 9.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Penang State Museum Board director Haryany Mohamad, Wong highlighted the successful completion of the venue’s nine-year, comprehensive restoration process. The Grade 1 historic building, originally established in 1816, previously housed the Penang Free School and Hutchings School before being converted into a museum on the recommendation of Malaysia’s founding father, Tunku Abdul Rahman, in 1964.
The current free admission period offered in conjunction with National Month will conclude on Aug 31, with standard entrance fees applying from Sept 1 onward. Under the new pricing scheme, Malaysian adults holding a MyKad will pay RM5, while MyKid holders aged five to 12, senior citizens aged 60 and above, and persons with disabilities (OKU) will be charged RM3. Entry remains free for children under the age of five. For non-Malaysian visitors, admission is set at RM25 for adults and RM10 for children aged five to 12.
Wong announced two special free-entry days in September. The first will take place on Sept 15 to celebrate the anniversary of Penang Hill’s designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve under the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, followed by another free admission day on Sept 16 in conjunction with Malaysia Day.
The revamped museum features modern interactive and digital elements, including a dedicated Natural History gallery highlighting the biodiversity of the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve.
Wong noted that the museum’s reopening marks one of four significant heritage milestones achieved by the state government over the past three years, joining the launch of the new Automotive Gallery at Macalister Road, the opening of the Guar Kepah Archaeological Site, and the completed restoration of four storerooms at Fort Cornwallis.
Story by Sarbeyshwaran Rajalingam
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud