Exploring The Borneo Cultures Museum, Kuching

I visited the Borneo Cultures Museum as part of my tour around Kuching (the City of Cats). At the time I didn’t realize how BIG the museum was, so I only managed to see two floors before I had to leave and go to my next activity. Still, I really liked my visit to this museum and I wanted to share my experience there, and hopefully encourage you to go visit it as well!

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Exterior of the Borneo Cultures Museum, which has pointed arches.

Know Before You Go: Borneo Cultures Museum

Address: Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
- Plus code: H84R+5X Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Phone: +6082548215
Website: Borneo Cultures Museum

Essential Info

Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM, Saturday-Sunday and Public Holidays 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Last admission is 4:00 PM
- Closed for the following holidays: Chinese New Year (29 January 2025), Eid al-Fitr (31 Mac 2025), Labour Day (1 May 2025), Harvest Day (1 June 2025), Malaysian independence Day (31 August 2025), Birthday TYT of Sarawak (12 October 2025), Christmas Day (25 December 2025)
Admission: CASH ONLY.
- For foreign visitors: Adults RM50, Children (12 and under) RM20, Teens (13-17) RM25, Senior citizens (61+) RM25
- For Malaysian Sarawakians (e.g. locals): Adults RM10, Children (12 and under) FREE, Teens (13-17) RM5, Senior citizens (61+) RM5
- For Malaysians non-Sarawakians: Adults RM20, Children (12 and under) RMFREE, Teens (13-17) RM5, Senior citizens (61+) RM10
Recommended Visit Length: 2-3 hours for highlights, 4-5 hours for full experience
Best Times to Visit: Early mornings (9-11 AM) or mid-afternoon (2-4 PM)
Busy Times to Avoid: Weekends, especially during local holidays and school breaks

Entry & Tickets

Skip-the-line Options: Not available (or needed)
Online Booking: Here
Entry Requirements:
- Bag restrictions: Large bags must be stored in lockers
- Security check: Basic bag check at entrance
- Dress code: Smart casual, air-conditioned environment so bring a sweater

Pro Planning Tips

Visit on weekdays to avoid local weekend crowds
Photography is allowed but tripods need special permission
Excellent rainy day activity during monsoon season

Building Overview

Floors: 4 floors of exhibits plus ground floor
Main Attractions:
- Level 1: Temporary Gallery
- Level 2: Children’s Gallery & Arts & Crafts
- Level 3: In Harmony with Nature
- Level 4: Time Changes
- Level 5: Objects of Desire
Suggested Route: Start at Level 3 for a good background on Borneo history, then go upwards from there.
Total Walking Distance: Approximately 1.2 km if visiting all galleries

Accessibility

Elevators: 2 main elevators near entrance, usually quick
Ramps: Available throughout
Wheelchair Access: Fully wheelchair accessible
Door Types: Automatic main entrance doors, lightweight gallery doors

Navigation Tips

Main Pathways: Wide, smooth floors throughout
Bottleneck Areas: Level 4 historical gallery during group tours
Signage: Clear bilingual signs (English/Malay)

Pro Navigation Tips

Use the central elevator for quicker access OR just use the escalators
The back staircase is often quieter than the main one
Each floor has a clear layout with circular flow, and it DOES get crowded in certain spots along the route

Seating Areas

Main Hall: Multiple benches in lobby area
Exhibition Areas: Seating areas at the end of each major exhibit
Outdoor Areas: Covered seating area outside entrance
Quiet Spots: Window alcoves on each floor with city views

Facilities

Restrooms: Available on every floor
Accessible Restrooms: On ground floor and Level 3
Water Fountains: Near restrooms on Levels 1, 3, and 5
Temperature: Well air-conditioned, can be quite cool as is typical in Malaysia

Food & Drink

Museum Café: Level 1, moderate prices (RM15-30 per meal)
Outside Food Policy: Not allowed inside galleries but you can have a water bottle
Nearby Options:
- Plaza Merdeka Mall (5-min walk)
- Various local coffee shops within walking distance

Pro Comfort Tips

Bring a light jacket – air conditioning can be strong

Available Services

Bag Storage: Free lockers on ground floor
Audio Guides: Not available
Gift Shop: Ground floor, good selection of local crafts
Information Desk: Ground floor and Floor 2, English-speaking staff

Additional Amenities

Wifi: Free wifi throughout building
Mobile Coverage: Good coverage on all major Malaysian carriers
Photography: Allowed without flash
First Aid: Available at Level 1

Special Services

Language Assistance: Most staff speak English and Malay

Pro Service Tips

Gift shop prices are fixed– no bargaining needed

Borneo Cultures Museum Visit Experience

If you want to see the entire museum, I recommend coming as soon as it opens and plan to stay the whole day. The Borneo Cultures Museum is the LARGEST museum in Malaysia and the second largest in Southeast Asia! There’s a LOT to see. Here’s a photo of the museum floor directory to give you an idea:

Sign showing what's on each floor of the museum, including exhibits, bathrooms, and wheelchair accessibility.

It was very busy when I went because it was free entry day! But getting the ticket and up to the exhibits was very easy and quick.

I only had a few hours before it closed so I focused on two exhibits: In Harmony With Nature (3rd floor) and Objects of Desire (5th floor).

In Harmony With Nature (Permanent Gallery)

This gallery shows the relationship between Borneo’s people and the land they live on. It’s divided into the three main ecosystems on Borneo: Coastal, Rainforest and Highlands. Each ecosystem had their own space on the floor and it was filled with amazing treasures: clothes, pottery, wooden carvings, jewelry, plus video clips of interviews with locals talking about their history and little interactive things showcasing the animals living in the ecosystems.

I especially liked the pottery and the wooden figure carvings. They were mostly behind plexiglass so photos were a bit difficult but here’s some of my favorites:

Carvings

Large wooden panels with carved swirl designs.

Four wooden carved figures in traditional Borneo outfits, painted in bright primary colors.

Five wooden figures carved in an outsider art style. Two are painted in primary colors and the other three are a darker stained wood color.

Small wooden figures, carved into spike shapes.

Two wooden carved masks, both painted in primary colors.

Pottery

A selection of bowls, pots and plates with basic designs and light color washes.

Four enormous jugs with designs carved on them.

Woven Items

Six woven baskets, all with bright patterns and designs.

Clothing

Two traditional Bornean tribal outfits, with four coordinating hats.

Two traditional Borneo tribal outfits including a feathered headdress.

Klirieng (Burial Poles)

Two tall pillars with a flat piece of stone on top. The pillars have faces carved on them in a tribal art style. — These are absolutely enormous IRL

Objects of Desire (Permanent Gallery)

This is a very interesting floor: it’s about desirable objects, like jewelry, fancy pottery, imported goods that people paid a lot for, etc. plus beautiful works of local art and handicrafts.

Once again they were all behind plexiglass so it was a little difficult getting good photos, but I managed to get some decent ones:

Beaded Works

A large basket with a beaded design of a person and a beaded rim with animal teeth hanging off.

Close-up of a beaded pattern in yellow, red, white, and green colors.

Clothing

Traditional Borneo tribal wedding outfit with red fabric, metalwork decorative pieces, a large headdress and a matching belt. — A traditional wedding outfit

A large selection of carved wooden masks that resemble demons, painted in primary colors. — Carved wooden masks

Pottery

Close-up of a Chinese decorated vase showing a man with a mustache wearing armor. — This was traded for from China (I think)

A large pot with a wavy pattern in dark brown and light tan colors.

Carvings

A carved wooden figure of an unknown animal (it kinda looks like a dog).

Large wooden panels with lizards carved on them.

Woven Items

A woven piece of fabric with a wavy pattern in two shades of brown.

Close-up of a woven pattern made of triangles in dark brown and tan colors.

Tattoos

Museum Restaurant

Between exhibits I took a break and got lunch at the on-site restaurant, which had just opened recently. It’s a huge, beautiful dining area with lots of natural light, and the food is pretty darned good! I got a crab burger with sweet potato fries:

A plate of food: crab burger, sweet potato fries and a dipping sauce.

Final Thoughts: Borneo Cultures Museum

It’s really a wonderful museum, and the way they’ve set up the exhibits makes it easy to wander around and look at things. They have a good collection of local artifacts, and the placards that explain each thing are well-written and informative. If you’re interested in learning more about the local culture on Borneo, I recommend stopping by the Borneo Cultures Museum!