Penang Tunnel Museum
Visited December 2018

                       Permanently Closed                      

Penang Tunnel Museum is an attraction of two parts, part history and part 3D mural art gallery.

Ground Floor - History

The museum used to be known as The History Museum and was designed as a 'time tunnel' taking visitors back through 400 years of Penang's history.

The ground floor is still dedicated to Penang's history and provides a reasonable overview  starting in 1592 when a British naval captain called James Lancaster recorded the name Penang in his log at a time when the island was part of Kedah Sultanate. Display panels explain how, in 1786, Francis Light, representing the English East India Company, signed an agreement with the Sultan of Kedah to lease the island, thus starting the island's growth as a major trading port.

Copies of old paintings, photos, dioramas and mannequins illustrate Penang's development and changes through various phases of its history up until Independence.

For me the most interesting information was about the Eurasian community in Penang, and their role in the city's history. There is also a copy of Francis Light's will, naming his common-law wife, Martina Rozells (herself a Eurasian) as his main beneficiary. 

Upstairs - 3D Mural Art Gallery

Here you find the 3D mural art gallery with fluorescent-effect paint under the ultraviolet lights. Some of the murals are Penang history related while others are off-piste with Batman, Darth Vader and so on. With the advent of smart phones and selfies, these types of 3D or trick art galleries have sprung up all over Malaysia and no doubt this museum is trying to cash in on their popularity. Younger visitors will probably find this section more appealing than the history part.

Review Verdict

You can find similar or better exhibits in many other museums around the country but the history section is informative, especially for first time visitors to Penang. Most visitors seem to like this place.

I thought it was a bit expensive, even after the discount. They have quite a few staff upstairs helping with the lighting and photos so I guess they need to charge enough to cover their salaries.

Opening Hours & Admission Charges

  • Monday-Friday from 9.15 am to 7 pm (last admission 6.15 pm).
  • Saturday/Sunday/Public Holidays from 9.15 am to 7.30 pm (last admission 6.45 pm).

Ticket Prices 

  • Adult  RM 29 RM Foreigner, RM 16 MyKad
  • Child (ages 5-12) RM 16 Foreigner, RM 8 MyKad
  • Student with student ID RM 16 Foreigner, RM 11 MyKad

How To Get to Penang Tunnel Museum

The exact location is marked on this map:

Show the Way

Address: 

Penang Tunnel Museum, 39, Jalan Green Hall, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang

GPS:

5.422518, 100.339734

Nearby

See my Penang Heritage Trail for details of the many attractions worth seeing in historic George Town.

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AUTHOR BIO

cartoon of author with an orangutan

David (the one on the left) is the writer behind Malaysia Traveller, sharing firsthand travel advice from over five decades of living and travelling across Asia and the Middle East. Based in Malaysia since 2009 and now in Kuching, he has published 700+ pages, personally visited every place he covers, and uses only his own photos. Readers can learn more on his About Me page. He also shares updates on Facebook and YouTube. He loves uncovering overlooked places even many Malaysians have never visited.