Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to visit Muzium Negara with the kids. Frankly I did not know what to expect since it's been nearly 20 years since I last set foot on it. I didn't really plan on going to the museum with the kids but we were driving aimlessly around KL on a lazy Saturday morning when we passed by the museum.So what the heck, I told myself, let's go in to have a look. To say I was disappointed is to understate it. I don't really know how to put it but after touring the place, it's like Malaysia does not have much of a history or at least that our history has not been documented all that well.
The first thing you see when you enter the museum at the foyer are several plastic tanks filled with fish, turtles and other assortment of aquatic life. You can also see a whole skeleton of a small whale, a skeleton of a dugong, a baby dugong preserved in a jar (well in a small aquarium like jar), a 2 foot fish also preserved in a small aquarium like jar and several other small glass aquariums filled with sea horses and fishes.
At the side wall on the ground floor, there is a display of some porcelain bowls, plates etc which the museum authorities helpfully inform us is from the 'Lady Diana'. Information like what the hell was the 'Lady Diana', was the 'Lady Diana' sunk (I am assuming it's a ship), where was it sunk, who sunk it, where was it coming from, where were the porcelain bowls etc from, what year did the 'Lady Diana' sink....you know casual information that might satisfy the curious mind were sadly unavailable
Now, if you decide you want more disappointment, as I certainly did, you might want to venture upstairs. At the time of my visit, the entire left wing was closed. No reasons given. Fine. You still have the right wing.
In it your will find the replica of a tin mining dredge. Press the red button and the mechanical parts will move. Woohoo! Next to it, you might catch a glimpse of a pre-WW2 bicycle, iron, rifle and the replica of the A'Formosa and some cannons
Another section of the museum will show pictorials of our recent history with scenes dominated by our ex-prime minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir, our Thomas Cup exploits etc and even a small section for our World No. 1 pendatang Nichol David.
The only part I found interesting was the section where they had the pre-Islamic era artifacts from the Bujang Valley on display. Again there was hardly any information on it. Of course there were the usual broken pottery and stone axes on display in another dimly lit section of the museum.
My verdict? If you have really run out of ideas on where to visit, give the museum a shot. Otherwise go to a bookstore and buy a book on the history of Malaysia. I hate to say it, but the museum like many institutions in Malaysia has seen better days
The first thing you see when you enter the museum at the foyer are several plastic tanks filled with fish, turtles and other assortment of aquatic life. You can also see a whole skeleton of a small whale, a skeleton of a dugong, a baby dugong preserved in a jar (well in a small aquarium like jar), a 2 foot fish also preserved in a small aquarium like jar and several other small glass aquariums filled with sea horses and fishes.
At the side wall on the ground floor, there is a display of some porcelain bowls, plates etc which the museum authorities helpfully inform us is from the 'Lady Diana'. Information like what the hell was the 'Lady Diana', was the 'Lady Diana' sunk (I am assuming it's a ship), where was it sunk, who sunk it, where was it coming from, where were the porcelain bowls etc from, what year did the 'Lady Diana' sink....you know casual information that might satisfy the curious mind were sadly unavailable
Now, if you decide you want more disappointment, as I certainly did, you might want to venture upstairs. At the time of my visit, the entire left wing was closed. No reasons given. Fine. You still have the right wing.
In it your will find the replica of a tin mining dredge. Press the red button and the mechanical parts will move. Woohoo! Next to it, you might catch a glimpse of a pre-WW2 bicycle, iron, rifle and the replica of the A'Formosa and some cannons
Another section of the museum will show pictorials of our recent history with scenes dominated by our ex-prime minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir, our Thomas Cup exploits etc and even a small section for our World No. 1 pendatang Nichol David.The only part I found interesting was the section where they had the pre-Islamic era artifacts from the Bujang Valley on display. Again there was hardly any information on it. Of course there were the usual broken pottery and stone axes on display in another dimly lit section of the museum.
My verdict? If you have really run out of ideas on where to visit, give the museum a shot. Otherwise go to a bookstore and buy a book on the history of Malaysia. I hate to say it, but the museum like many institutions in Malaysia has seen better days
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