Enjoy And Explore These 5 Penang’s Best Cultural And Heritage Experiences

In the 18th century, Penang was colonized by Sir Francis Light. Georgetown, Penang once served as the capital of Straits Settlements. Thus, heritage houses in Penang showed British Architecture. Throughout the century, Penang’s cosmopolitan population, comprising Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan, Eurasian, Thai and other ethnicities, grew rapidly in tandem with the economic prosperity.

On July 7th 2008, UNESCO inscribed Malacca and George Town as cultural sites on the World Heritage List. The day is designed to allow citizens and visitors to celebrate the culture, buildings, heritage and history of the site.Therefore, in Penang you can experience multicultural cuisine, events, and history. Nowadays, Penang has evolved into a beautiful city with the fusion of historical and modern city. To know more about Penang, you must explore the heritage buildings of different cultures.

Penang State Museum and Art Gallery

Penang State Museum was a school built with the donations given by the East India Company under the supervision of Captain Robert Smith. It has been serving as a school accommodating 100 boys and 50 girls from 1897 to 1927. In 1964, this building was converted into a museum and art gallery. Penang State Museum building is recognized as a heritage building under the Heritage Act 2005. Apart from being a museum, it also provides a platform for local and international artists to hold their visual exhibition.
With the growing collection of art pieces, Penang State Art Gallery has carried out retrospective exhibitions annually since 2007. Currently, Penang State Art Gallery has moved to Dewan Sri Pinang while Penang State Museum is temporarily closed for restoration.

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Khoo Kongsi

The Khoo Kongsi is the one of the most beautiful and ornate of all the clan houses in George Town Penang, it is also a large Chinese clan house with elaborate and highly ornamented architecture, a mark of the dominant presence of the Chinese in Penang. It was first built by the forefathers of the Khoo family, serving as a clan house for members of Khoo family in 1851. It was restored in 1902 after it was burnt down in 1901.
Currently, it serves as a clan temple to worship the goddess of Mercy. To promote Chinese culture, it holds various cultural events annually. You can check their calendar of events on their website for further detail. The clan temple is now a tourist attraction point as it is located in the UNESCO World Heritage area of Georgetown.

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Kapitan Keling Mosque

Kapitan Keling Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Penang. Its architecture was influenced by Indian-Mughal architecture with Gothic, Moorish and Roman Renaissance design. It is a part of UNESCO World Heritage in Georgetown representing Indian Muslim culture. The mosque is the largest historical mosque located near many other historical places of worship on Kapitan Keling Street, also known as the ‘Street of Harmony’. In 1930, the mosque underwent a major renovation giving Kapitan Keling Mosque its present appearance. A restoration was done in 2003 and gave the present grey and white combination, adorning with golden calligraphic inscriptions. By visiting this mosque, you will learn about the history of Indian Muslim in Penang.

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Pinang Peranakan Mansion

Peranakan is a prominent acculturated Chinese community in the Straits of Settlements (Penang, Malacca and Singapore). They originated from China adopting the selected living culture of local Malays and later, the colonial British. The Peranakans have their unique lifestyle and customs. Their cultural influences in cuisine, language and attire are still evident in Penang today.
Pinang Peranakan Mansion is the typical home of a rich Baba of a century ago and is recreated to offer a glimpse of their opulent lifestyle and of their many customs and traditions. It also has a rich collection of antiques and collectibles of the era on display. By visiting this Baba-Nyonya museum, you will experience the unique fusion culture and learn about the history of Chinese settlement in Malaysia. Prior arrangement is needed for conducting tours and viewing of the mansion with a group of 5 persons and above.

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Stay In A Colonial-era Hotel – Eastern & Oriental Hotel

Your cultural exploration and experience in Penang must be completed with a stay in a colonial-era hotel. Eastern and Oriental Hotel which is more likely to be known as E&O Hotel was established by the Sarkies Brothers in 1885. In the late 1990s, E&O Group undertook the meticulous refurbishment and upgrading of the heritage E&O Hotel. For most of its history, its passageways and halls were the preserve of the rich and privileged from the Western world, allowing people to experience the exotic East. It is the only hotel in Georgetown with prime sea frontage.

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Penang is the pearl of oriental. It is famous for its street food but there is more to explore. In Penang, you will experience the harmony of different cultures. Meanwhile, you can have a historical tour in Penang to witness the fusion of the west and the east. Not only in cuisine, you will enjoy the fusion in architecture, language, and also lifestyle.

On this World Heritage Day, prepare your camera to capture the beautiful sights in Penang. The island comes to life through images of colonial houses, street art with multicultural influences, and more. What better day to fully capture the important moments than now, right?