Top Penang Arts & Design

Learn about a life of grandeur in 19th-century Penang on a tour of Cheong Fatt Tze, aka the Blue Mansion. Book admission to the famed George Town landmark and gain insight into its eclectic architecture and heritage, based on the lavish lifestyle of its former resident.

Sim (The Rattan Weaver) will teach you how to make a variety of different products with rattan in his historic family shop. You will get a feel for his daily life and rhythm, all while creating your own works to bring home.

From traditional Malaysian musical forms such as potehi puppets and bangsawan opera through to the arrival of western music in the 1940s, the story of music in Penang is fascinating. Discover it when you prebook tickets to Penang House of Music. After your guided tour is done, get hands-on with musical instruments, enjoy interactive features such as the Virtual Reality room, or simply listen to tunes.

Guarantee your entry to the fun-filled Dark Mansion, a 3D glow-in-the-dark museum in Penang, by booking your admission ticket in advance. Family-friendly and located in the heart of UNESCO-listed Georgetown, the museum features spectacular luminescent effects  and provides welcome respite from Penang’s daytime humidity.

Treat the kids—or your inner child—to a great day out when you prebook tickets to Penang’s TeddyVille Museum. Capture a wealth of adorable selfies surrounded by bears of all shapes and sizes. Unique displays include a history of Penang told by miniature bears, teddies dressed up as well-known Penangites, including actor P. Ramlee and squash player Nicol David, and even a street food area.

Explore the history of photography with admission to the Asia Camera Museum, where you'll find more than 1,000 cameras and hands-on exhibits. Try taking photographs with some of the museum's cameras, learn about the process of developing photos, and see remarkable artifacts, from hand-painted slides to a silent movie projector, bringing home your own memorable shots of the museum collection.

Travel to inner George Town for an exploratory walking tour in search of the unique murals or wall paintings mimicking the life in the city. Many have become enamoured of the newly transformed streetscape of George Town. Discover the wrought-iron caricatures with anecdotal descriptions of the streets that they adorn. Blending humour and historical facts, sufficient time will be given for photo-shooting. ​

Penang is named by CNN Travel as one of the top 2019 tourist destinations in the world. This tour is specially designed for you to capture the amazing scenes plus your own experiences in Penang. Start with inner George Town for the iconic murals or street arts such as the "Kids on Bicycle", the "Old Motorcycle", the "Boy on Chair" and more. After that proceed to the Peranakan Mansion which houses priceless antique collection and artifacts, showcasing an assimilation of cultures between the Malays and the early Chinese settlers. Next stop is the award-winning Asia Pacific Heritage building - Cheong Fatt Tze (The Blue Mansion). Immerse yourself in the historic splendor that the building once and the architecture for the perfect Instagram shots. Take more photos during the street food lunch, as local dishes such as "Laksa", "Char Koay Teow", and "Cendol" are not only delicious but look really good for Instagram feed.

Visit the Teddyville Museum in Batu Ferringhi to see the largest collection of teddy bears in Malaysia. The teddy bears have been collected from various nations and time periods that date back to the 1900s. The displays also showcase the cultural history of Penang from the arrival of Captain Francis Light to the present day.

Take your passion for Southeast Asian street food to its logical conclusion when you prebook tickets for Penang’s unique Wonderfood Museum. Take hilarious photos with giant bowls of local favorites such as laksa, learn where and how to find the best food in Penang, and discover the multicultural mixing that produced delights from Nyonya to Mamak cuisine.

Trace the history of Penang from 1592 to the 21st-century in an engaging environment at Penang Time Tunnel. Fun for restless kids, active backpackers, and history buffs alike, the museum offers an immersive look at the city’s storied past. Make your way through 11 exhibits, each presenting historical documents, life-sized sculptures, and well-preserved artifacts. Be sure to have your camera ready for the interactive dioramas.

See the stunning creations of Penang’s Glass Museum—the first in Malaysia—with this admission ticket. Wander through the various kaleidoscopic exhibits made completely of glass. See the world’s longest batik motif glass painting, stroll through the Avenue of Stars, take part in a glass crafting class and much more with your entrance ticket.

Discover Penang’s Dark Mansion with this admission ticket to this popular attraction. Wander through the museum and marvel at optical illusions, trippy art installations, special lighting effects and more. Your ticket grants you access to all exhibits so that you don’t miss a thing inside the mansion. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture every moment!

Hop-On, Hop-Off sightseeing tours can get a bad rap, but this open air bus tour is an ideal way to see the major highlights in this city of historic charm. Save your feet and save your wallet; there’s no need to walk long distances or hail a rideshare to go from attraction to attraction. The fast-paced schedule is perfect for visitors with limited time to spare or for first-time guests wanting to get an overview of the city.

While most museums don't allow their visitors to take pictures, it's a different story at the Penang 3D Trick Art Museum. Visitors are encouraged to interact and have fun with the art pieces, and take as many photos as they want. Not like other museums, this art museum is an interactive attraction that embraces the old and the new by mixing art that features traditional Malaysian settings and what is considered to be present-day hip culture. Enjoy a day of fun with your family and friends where you get to live the lampung lifestyle by posing in front of a traditional Malaysian house, or perhaps pretend to boat and fish along the river, or pose as if you're doing extreme sports! It's the best activity to unleash your creative and fun side.

- Discover Penang's rich and diverse cultural and musical traditions at Penang House of Music - Enhance and expand your musical understanding with amazing interactive displays and listening posts - Explore the history of Georgetown, Penang's capital city, prior to its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Drop by the Resource Center, a focal point for musicians, students, and others interested in Penang’s history - Stop by the multi-purpose Black Box, where you can hear live music and watch exciting exhibitions

- See ancient gold collections from across the world up close at Penang Gold Museum - Witness a miner in action as they demonstrate the process of gold and silver pouring - Experience the life of a miner when you try out the gold panning process yourself - Take pictures with 3D gold murals and make your "Gold Wish" here

- Visit a unique museum in the heart of Penang featuring oversized replicas of traditional Malaysian dishes - Discover interesting delicacies arising from Malaysia's multi-cultural background at the museum's three galleries - The variety of food on display provides you with an in-depth understanding of the foods popular in Asia - Replicated with the utmost detail, the exhibits at Wonderfood Museum are sure to tempt your appetite

- Trick and be tricked with more than 40 optical illusion paintings and sculptures - Step into 2 different themes and get to know the daily life of Penangites - Let your imagination run wild and snap mind-bending photos and videos along the way - Step inside or crawl into the exhibits, interact with the characters and become the subject of the artwork on display

An opportunity to learn our traditional art of ‘Wayang Kulit’ shadow puppetry from a master Penang puppeteer. This workshop will introduce you to this ancient art form of entertainment and storytelling, a theatrical performance often depicts mythical and folk tales which are both engaging and enjoyable to the audience. In this hands-on workshop, you will be guided through the process of making your own ‘wayang kulit’ character and learn the age-old technique of bringing the shadow puppets to life. The puppeteer will also teach you how to play traditional musical instruments which are an integral part of the shadow puppet theatre.

If you love antiques and interiors, you won’t want to miss Colonial Penang Museum. Established by a family of antique collectors, it showcases the opulent lifestyle of wealthy merchants during the period the British ruled Penang. Highlights include stained glass windows, marble statues, Nyonya furniture, and documents handwritten by Penang’s founder, Francis Light. Ensure entry even at busy times by arranging tickets in advance.