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Traveloka SG

18 Jan 2018 - 7 min read

10 museums in Melaka that cost RM5 or less

Melaka is such a popular tourist destination that it’s not surprising that many attractions cost a pretty penny, charging entrance fees that average out to more than RM10 per person.

But if you’re a fan of museums, then boy, do I have good news for you: thanks to the Melaka Museum Corporation (Perzim), you can learn all you want about Melaka’s long history at its museums, all of which cost RM5 or less to enter!

Most of them are located within walking distance to one another in the UNESCO World Heritage core zone, so you can easily make an afternoon out of museum-hopping.

Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum

Melaka Sultanate Museum

Wander around the impressive replica of Sultan Mansur Shah’s elaborate 15th-century palace. According to the Malay Annals (the Sulalatus Salatin), the original structure was badly damaged after it was struck by lightning and set ablaze.

In the 3-storey museum, you’ll view displays featuring traditional costumes according to state, as well as weaponry and jewellery. You’ll also learn about the history of the Melaka sultanate through dioramas, particularly the legend of Hang Tuah.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm, Wednesday to Monday (closed on Tuesday)

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM3 (Malaysians); RM5 (non-Malaysians)

Children/concessions: RM2

People's Museum

People's Museum

The People’s Museum is definitely value-for-money, as for a single entry ticket, you get several museums/galleries rolled into one. On the ground floor, there’s the People’s Museum, which outlines Melaka’s development and its cultural tapestry. There’s also the Meteor Gallery for all you space nerds.

The first floor focuses on traditional Malay pastimes that are gradually disappearing, such as the Wau (Malay kite) and the spinning top. The second floor features the Beauty Museum, which shows different perceptions of what’s beautiful across cultures and history, such as bound feet and neck rings. There’s also a Eurasian Gallery that details the contributions of Melaka’s Eurasian community.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm, open daily

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM3

Children/concessions: RM2

Stamp Museum

Melaka Stamp Museum

Credit: Chongkian / Wikimedia Commons

Stamps aren’t very commonplace anymore, as fewer and fewer people use snail mail for correspondence. But if you’re interested in stamps (it’s basically tiny pieces of art that people mail to each other), then you’ve got to check out this museum.

The quaint museum’s stamp collection is by no means extensive, mainly comprised of Malaysian stamps from the British colonial era. But it’s also got several rare stamps and the earliest known letter from Melaka. Housed in one of Melaka’s oldest surviving structures, it’s said that the museum is also haunted by the ghosts of a Portuguese nun and a soldier, a star-crossed love that ended tragically.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm, open daily

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM3

Children/concessions: RM2

Melaka Maritime Museum (Flor de la Mar)

Maritime Museum

One of Melaka’s most iconic sites is the half-sized replica of the Portuguese galley, the Flor de la Mar, which is set near the mouth of Melaka River. The original was said to have sunk in the Strait of Melaka on its way back to Portugal, and with it the vast treasures it was carrying.

The structure houses the Melaka Maritime Museum, which tells the city’s long history as an international trade hub.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm, Monday to Thursday; 9am – 7pm, Friday to Sunday

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM5 (Malaysians); RM10 (non-Malaysians)

Children/concessions: RM3 (Malaysians); RM6 (non-Malaysians)

The Stadthuys

Stadthuys

Credit: ZACXPLORE / Shutterstock

Most depictions of Melaka will undoubtedly include the red-hued Stadthuys building. Constructed in 1650 by the Dutch, it is believed to be the oldest Dutch building in the East and was initially used as the official residence of the Dutch Governor and his officers.

Inside is the Melaka History and Ethnography Museum, which displays the history of Melaka from its establishment in 1400 until 1957, the year Malaya gained independence. Its ethnography exhibits focus on the various communities and sub-communities you can find in Melaka, depicting their unique cultures. Under the same admission ticket, visitors to the History and Ethnography Museum will also be able to enter the Literature Museum located next to Stadthuys.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm, open daily

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM5 (Malaysians); RM10 (non-Malaysians)

Children/concessions: RM2 (Malaysians); RM4 (non-Malaysians)

Melaka Art Gallery

Melaka Art Gallery

Credit: Chongkian / Wikimedia Commons

Located in the upper level of one of the Dutch administrative complex buildings, the Melaka Art Gallery is a must-visit for those who appreciate art. The gallery contains artworks from famous Malaysian artists such as Rafie Abd Rahman, Wan Hui-jyu, Rahmat Ramli, Rafie Abd Ghani and Jehan Chan. It also features pieces from international artists.

The gallery has themed exhibitions that change from time to time, focusing on different artforms like calligraphy and films.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm, open daily (closed on Monday)

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM3

Children/concessions: RM2

Chitty Museum

Chitty Museum

Credit: Chongkian / Wikimedia Commons

Everyone’s heard of Peranakan culture – the mix of Chinese and Malay culture that’s unique to major port cities along the Strait of Melaka. But have you heard of the Chitty community? It’s the Tamil and Malay equivalent that can only be found in Malaysia and Singapore.

The museum in located in Kampung Chetti just off Jalan Gajah Berang, where descendents of the original Chitty community still reside. The museum’s exhibits feature all the things you’d want to know about the Chitty community, ranging from their history to their food to their day-to-day life.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm, open daily

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM2

Children/concessions: RM1

Hang Tuah Center

Hang Tuah Centre

Credit: Tourism Malaysia

Hang Tuah is Melaka’s most beloved son. Here, you can learn everything about the storied Malay warrior. The center is located in Kampung Duyong, where Hang Tuah is said to have lived for a significant portion of his life.

The complex features five houses which represent Hang Tuah and his brothers in arms: Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu. Each house has a sand-filled silat court to allow silat demonstrations and other activities to be held.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm, open daily

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM5 (Malaysians); RM10 (non-Malaysians)

Children/concessions: RM3 (Malaysians); RM5 (non-Malaysians)

Portuguese Settlement Heritage Museum

Portuguese Square

The Portuguese Settlement is the heart of Melaka’s Kristang (Portuguese-descended) community. The museum – the only one on this list that’s not under Perzim – is dedicated to the community’s culture, which still holds fast to the Catholic faith and celebrates its religious festivals.

Nearby is a replica of Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, a beachside esplanade with a great view of the sunset and a food court that serves some of the yummiest seafood dishes around.

Opening Hours: 10am – 12pm and 2pm – 5pm, open daily (closed on Monday)

Entrance Fee

RM2 per person

Submarine Museum

Submarine Museum

The Submarine Museum is – you guessed it – housed within an actual decommissioned submarine. The SMD Ouessant is an Agosta 70 class submarine which was built in 1978 by Arsenal de Cherbourg in France. Used by Royal Malaysian Navy crews from 2005 to 2009, the submarine is now an educational center located in Klebang to show visitors what one looks like on the inside.

In a word: it is cramped. However, it was quite interesting to walk through the submarine from front to back and curiously tap away at the old computers (with a low-key fear of setting off nuclear disaster despite it being decommissioned). There are also two fighter jet planes on display next to the submarine.

Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm, Monday to Thursday; 9am – 6.30pm, Friday to Sunday

Entrance Fee

Adults: RM5

Children/concessions: RM3

Can’t wait to museum all? Make Melaka your next weekend destination and book your trip through Traveloka!

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