It is advisable to go early in the morning - it opens at 9am - to avoid the crowd which will usually start to form a little before noon (during the school holidays). Because the point of coming here is to take pictures with all the 3D trick art, and you wouldn't want to spend half the day waiting in line, right?
As you walk in, you will see what seems to be Malaysia's longest 3D mural (measuring at 25 metres) of Georgetown's waterfront, at a time when businessmen and locals gather to trade their items.
On your right hand side, designs of traditional shop houses line the wall.
There is a café right after you turn around the corner, and a ticketing counter opposite. This painting of Lim Guan Eng (Penang's Chief Minister) is just next to the counter. I think there should be a description pasted on the wall explaining who he is, otherwise foreign tourists would wonder why is there some random guy drinking coffee at the entrance..
Me just being silly, haha!
The entrance fees are divided into three categories: RM30 for tourists (non-MyKad holder), RM15 for Malaysian adults, and RM10 for Malaysian children/students (you have to show your student card).
Keep your ticket properly as you will need it later to do something interesting. Furthermore, the ticket is designed to be made into a bookmark to save the environment (since tickets are usually thrown away). I think reusing tickets in this way is pretty cool :D
After that, a tour guide led us to a room behind the counter. The Diorama Gallery was dimly lit so that the focus would be on these miniature figures displayed along the walls. Here, tourists are able to get a peek into the trades of the local community. I'm amazed at the details!
1960's barber.
A nasi lemak (fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk) stall.
We then went up to the ground floor, which houses the 3D murals, the main highlight of the museum. On the way up, there are a couple of interactive kiosks that requires the use of your entrance ticket.
There are descriptions next to almost every painting, along with a printed image with one or two "models" in the picture (to give the public an idea on how to pose). But of course, art is subjective so.. let your creativity flow! ;)
Fort Cornwallis
Fort Cornwallis is the largest standing fort in Malaysia and named after the late 18th century Governor-General of Bengal, Charles Cornwallis. Captain Francis Light took possession of the island from the Sultan of Kedah in 1786 and built the original fort using the surrounding Nibong palm. The fort was to protect Penang from potential threats from the French, pirates, and tacitly Kedah.
In 1804, Indian convict labourers were brought in to rebuild the fort using bricks and stones. Fort Cornwallis was completed in 1810 at the cost of $80,000. There are 17 cannons remaining in the fort and the most famous one is the "Seri Rambai", which according to local belief enables women who pray to it to conceive babies.
Fighting Fish Betta
The Siamese fighting fish also known as betta, is a popular species of freshwater aquarium fish originated from Southeast Asia. The name of the genus is derived from ikan bettah, taken from a local dialect of Malay. Bred specifically for fighting, betting on betta fish matches used to be popular among rural folks, with the winner fish determined by his willingness to continue fighting. Breeders around the world are developing new varieties with more colourful fins. Often, the male of the species are sold in separate bottles because of their aggressiveness.
T-rex
Malaysian flag
Sun Yat-sen and Kwong Wah Yit Poh
From 1905 to 1911, Sun Yat-sen had visited Penang five times and planned the last Canton Uprising here. He even moved the Tong Meng Hui League Nanyang headquarters from Singapore to Penang. The Chinese in Penang were strongly supporting Sun Yat-sen and generously funded his revolutionary cause.
Kwong Wah Yit Poh is the world's longest surviving Chinese newspaper. Sun Yat-sen founded the newspaper on 20 December, 1910 in Penang with the intention to publicise the Chinese Republican ideology and to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. The newspaper established its first office at Armenian Street and later moved to Malay Street. Currently the newspaper has its headquarters at Presgrave Road and it has the largest Chinese newspaper circulation in northern Malaysia.
Trishaw
There are about 200 trishaws in Penang which are mostly found in Georgetown. Trishaw is used to be called by many names, including rickshaw, taxicab, or locally referred to as beca. The modern-day trishaw in Penang is a pedal-powered three-wheel vehicle. It brings tourists through narrow lanes and offers them a closer view of the neighbourhood in a leisurely manner.
The nostalgic feeling sitting on top of the man-powered trishaw is an unforgettable experience. Besides the thrill of travelling in this open-fronted vehicle, trishaw allows visitors the opportunity of visiting the sights at a more relaxed pace and stopping at any time to snap pictures or to buy souvenirs.
Dr Wu Lien-teh
Born in Penang in 1879, the talented Dr Wu Lien-teh completed his schooling at Penang Free School and won the prestigious Queen's scholarship in 1896 to study at Cambridge University. He became the first medical student of Chinese descent to graduate there in the shortest time. After returning to Malaya, he was actively promoting social reforms like cutting the Manchu hair queue, physical education for school children, and anti-opium campaigns that offended someone of authority.
Dr Wu was accused of minor offence, which he was ignorant of, and he decided to leave for China to start a new life and teach medical science there. He managed to save thousands of lives in northeast China when the bubonic epidemic broke out in 1910. He set up the Chinese Medical Association and assisted in establishing about 20 hospitals and medical colleges in China, including the Beijing General Hospital during his 30 years of sojourn there.
Dr Wu is named the Father of Medical Modernisation in China. He is the first Malayan and Chinese to be nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1935. He passed away in Penang in 1960.
Love Lane
A lane named after "love" always draws attention. How this narrow street got its name remains controversial. One legend says that it was named after a British officer with the surname Love, while others would argue that the lane was formerly a place full of brothels for soldiers, sailors, and rich local Chinese businessmen who kept their mistresses there. There is another theory that Love Lane was named after the self-flagellation procession by Shi'ite Muslims who paraded through this street to remember Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed.
Whichever way this old street got its name, it is today filled with budget inns and pubs interspersed with old Chinese guilds and workshops, constantly visited and loved by backpackers from all over the world.
(The bouquet of flowers was provided as a prop.)
Tomyam
Tomyam is a spicy hot and sour soup originated from Thailand and found its way to Penang. The broth is made of fresh ingredients such as galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, lime juice, fish sauce, and super hot chili with prawn or fish meat thrown in. It is a dish enjoyed by many, and restaurants and stalls selling local variations such as tomyam beehoon (vermicelli), Malay-style tomyam, tomyam maggi mee etc are easily found all over Penang.
Indeed, the term tomyam is used widely in Malaysia to name various spicy soups which can differ greatly from the Thai style, but all are characterised by its distinct hot and sour flavours, with fragrant herbs and spices generously used in the soup.
Henna
The name Henna refers to the art of drawing temporary patterns on skin using the dye prepared from the Henna plant. Henna has been used since antiquity to dye skin, hair, and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk, wool, and leather. Henna is used mainly to adorn young women's bodies as part of social celebrations among the Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus. During a wedding ceremony, Henna is used to adorn the bride. For the Indians, the longer the Henna stays on the bride's hand, the longer it is believed that her in-laws will treat her well. If the Henna fades out quickly, it's a sign that she will not be happily married.
P. Ramlee
P. Ramlee, born in Penang, was a Malaysian film actor, director, composer, songwriter, singer, and producer. In 1947, he won the first place in a song competition organised by Penang Radio and started to direct his first film "Penarek Becha" seven years later. In his entire career, he directed and acted in 66 films and had more than 360 songs to his credit. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry, he is often seen as the icon of Malay entertainment in Malaysia.
Chinese opera
The Chinese opera shows are very much in demand during the Chinese festival celebrations in Penang. Temporary stages are erected for this purpose and the shows are usually performed at night from a few days to a week or more. The Hungry Ghost Festival, which is held in the seventh lunar month, is the time when many of these operas perform in the open space to appease the roaming souls.
For Chinese opera shows, the story or plot is based on Chinese legends or folklore and mostly about love and patriotism. The opera performers will adorn themselves with elaborated traditional costumes, headgear, and heavy make-up on their faces. The various patterns and colours of their painted faces depict the role or ranks of their characters. The same goes for the costumes too, the more elaborated they are, the higher the rank its role in the show.
By specific eyes' movements, hand gestures, body language, and singing tones, the performers will be able to bring out the full message of the play. Symbolic sword-fighting and a bit of acrobatics make the performance even more intriguing and entertaining.
Penang bridge
Snake Temple
The Snake Temple, or the Temple of the Azure Cloud, was built around 1850 in memory of Chor Soo Kong, a Buddhist monk in China during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Legend has it that Chor Soo Kong, a healer himself, gave shelter to the snakes from the jungle. The temple ground was donated by the landowner David Brown after he was cured from a serious disease. Soon after the completion of the temple, snakes started to appear on their own accord without harming anyone. The temple is filled with the smoke of burning incense and venomous pit vipers. It is perhaps the only temple of its kind in the world.
The Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand and among the Thai community in Malaysia. It is the traditional Thai New Year's Day which falls between 13 to 15 April every year. The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the splashing of water upon others as a sign of blessing to wash away bad luck.
Besides the Thais, many people in Penang will gather around Wat Chaiyamangalaram and other Thai temples and roam around the places with water containers or water guns and start playing water with one another. On top of that, some will carry coloured talcum powder and smear on the faces and bodies of passersby as a sign of blessing for the new year, though with some sense of fun-making too.
Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower
The Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower at King Edward's Place in Georgetown was built by a local millionaire Cheah Chen Eok in 1897, to commemorate the 60th year of the Queen's coronation. Costing more than $35,000, the tower measures 60 feet tall, with each foot representing each year of the Queen's reign. The clock tower was completed in 1902, a year after the Queen had passed away. The clock tower leans to one side and according to legend, it was due to the heavy bombing at the nearby government building during the Second World War.
Wooden clogs
(The wooden clog was provided as a prop.)
Teluk Kampi Beach
Teluk Kampi is part of the Penang National Park at the northwest point of the island. It is a beautiful bay where sea turtles come ashore at night to lay eggs. This usually happens between February and April every year. Located just north of Teluk Kampi, the Turtle Hatchery at Pantai Kerachut has an educational centre where one can learn more about the turtle breeding programme or even take part in releasing the baby turtles back to the sea, which is an unforgettable experience.
Durian King
Durian has its special place in Penang. Unlike in Thailand where durians are harvested while on the trees, durians in Penang are allowed to drop by themselves, usually in the early morning when they are at their peak in ripeness and taste. Due to short shelf life, they are hardly exported. The Penang durians can be said to be the best in Malaysia where one can find a dozen of award-winning hybrids like Red Prawn, Bak Yu, Horloh, Khun Poh, Xiao Hong etc, strange names and unique tastes that fascinate every durian fan.
Durians are produced in bulk normally once a year in Penang during mid-year. There are a number of durian farms in Balik Pulau area where one can sample different types of durian at a fixed price. Besides that, durian tour packages targeted at foreign and local visitors are getting more popular.
Penang Hill Monkey Cup Garden
The Monkey Cup Garden is one of the newest attractions on Penang Hill. A garden specialising in pitcher plants or Nepenthes, it was started on 20 November 2011 by an ardent pitcher plant enthusiast. The pitcher plant is often called monkey cup due to the notion that monkeys are fond of drinking from the pitchers. These carnivorous plants have mechanisms to trap prey like insects and dissolve their dead bodies inside its tubular leaves with acidic liquid to extract the nutrients.
The cool climate of Penang Hill is ideal for setting up this exotic garden. The Monkey Cup Garden recreates the habitat of pitcher plants, some of which are found growing among mosses. Other plants found in the pitcher plant ecology such as ferns, orchids, and shrubs are also planted.
Monkey Beach
A variety of wildlife can be found within the park including green turtles, squirrels, flying lemurs, and over 150 species of birds. On the beach itself, the White-bellied Sea Eagle can often be spotted. A further half an hour uphill hike from the beach will take visitors to the scenic lighthouse.
Hokkien Mee
To prepare the dish, a handful of noodles and vermicelli is thrown into a sieve basket with bean sprouts and Kangkung vegetable, and dipped into boiling water for less than a minute. The piping hot content is then drained and placed in a big bowl and the broth is poured over it, garnished with slices of boiled egg, pork meat, and deep-friend chopped onions. A dollop of chili sauce is served in a soup spoon and people will decided on how much they want to mix the sauce to make it more spicy.
Often, one can find Lor Mee selling along the Hokkien Mee, which is another variation served in dark gravy made from soy sauce and eaten with garlic sauce.
Penang Ferry Service
Penang Ferry Service is the oldest ferry service in Malaysia. This iconic ferry service connects Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal in Butterworth to Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal in Penang island. The ferry service began operation in 1920 under the management of a Chinese-owned company. Today, it is operated by Penang Port Sdn. Bhd. A fleet of eight ferries are named after the beautiful islands in Malaysia.
The double-deck ferries are designed for both vehicles and pedestrians. The pedestrians board the upper deck and the vehicles the lower deck. However, some ferries allow vehicles to board both decks.The benches for passengers on the upper decks have pivoting backs that can be flipped back and forth so that passengers can sit facing to the front when the ferry is moving forward.
Char Kuey Teow
Penang flag (Pinang)
The flag of the state of Penang consists of three vertical stripes of equal width of light blue, white, and yellow. The white stripe in the center has a betel nut palm on a mount from which Penang takes its name. The light blue signifies the sea which surrounds the island of Penang, the white represents the State itself, and the yellow signifies prosperity. The flag was adopted in 1949, after Penang became a part of the Federation of Malaya.
Mirror image
Teh tarik (and roti canai)
Teh tarik - literally "pulled tea" - is a hot milk tea beverage which is sold by outdoor stalls and coffee shops run by Indians Muslims throughout Malaysia. The beverage is made from black tea and condensed milk. Its name is derived from the process of "pulling" the milk tea back and forth repeatedly between two steel cups from a certain height, giving it a thick frothy flavour. This process cools the tea to ideal drinking temperatures and brings out the special taste of the tea while mixing it with the milk.
The preparation of teh tarik involves a showmanship of skill and entertainment. The ability to drag a long stream of tea in front of customers without spilling a single drop is an amusing act for everyone to watch.
Thaipusam coconut smash
During the third day of Thaipusam, Hindu devotees smash coconuts on the roads to symbolise the breaking of one's ego to reveal their purity. However, there are many who smash coconuts for the fun of it. As coconuts are tough to break, they are usually cracked before the celebration to ease the smashing. There are small piles of coconut selling by the roadsides so anyone can join in the coconut smash.
Address: No. 3, Weld Quay,
10300 Georgetown, Penang.
Tel: 04-2626119 / 017-4581191
Opening hours: 9am-6pm daily
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MadeInPenang
Website: www.madeinpenang.my
