Sarawak State Museum

Sarawak State Museum
Muzium Negeri Sarawak

Established	1888
Location	Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Coordinates	1°33′17″N 110°20′37″E / 1.55472°N 110.34361°E / 1.55472; 110.34361Coordinates: 1°33′17″N 110°20′37″E / 1.55472°N 110.34361°E / 1.55472; 110.34361
Type	Ethnology museum
Founder	Charles Brooke
Owner	Sarawak state government
Website	www.museum.sarawak.gov.my

The Sarawak State Museum (Malay: Muzium Negeri Sarawak) is the oldest museum in Borneo. It was founded in 1888 and opened in 1891 in a purpose-built building in Kuching, Sarawak. Naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace encouraged Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah of Sarawak, to establish the museum.

History

The museum in 1896, prior to its extension in 1911.

The museum after its extension in 1911.

The Sarawak Museum was built in 1891 and was extended to its present form in 1911. The building was built to permanently house and display local indigenous arts and crafts, and collections of local animals. Its founding was encouraged by the prominent British naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, who was then collecting specimens in the state.

The museum was run by military officers during the two world wars. In the Great War, British officers were assigned to it. During the Japanese Occupation of World War II, the museum was directed by a Japanese officer, who was sympathetic to its goals. He protected it and the museum suffered very little damage or looting.

The historic building has been renovated. It is used to exhibit and interpret collections on the natural history of Sarawak. Shell Oil sponsored an exhibit on the petroleum industry, which has been important to Borneo. In addition, it displays archaeological artefacts and reconstructions of examples of traditional life of the indigenous peoples, and of their arts and crafts. It has the most comprehensive archaeological, natural history, and ethnographic collections on Borneo.

Architecture

The building has undergone several renovations and alterations since its construction. It is rectangular, 44’ × 160’ with walls and pillars of bricks, and roof of belian and concrete. The Sarawak Gazette referred to it being in the Queen Anne style. It is likely that Rajah Charles saw a picture of the Adelaide Children's Hospital ^[1] and directed his staff to produce a Museum to look like it. The museum is very similar but without the central spire.^[2] The galleries are lighted by dormer windows on the roof, making wall space available for exhibit displays and collections.

Layout

The longhouse gallery inside the museum.

The ground floor of the museum holds the natural history collection and specimens of Sarawak fauna — reptiles, mammals, birds, etc., all expertly prepared and mounted for display. The west wing of the museum houses the Shell exhibition on the petroleum industries of Sarawak.

The first floor has exhibits of ethnographic artefacts of the indigenous peoples, such as models of the various types of longhouses, musical instruments, various kinds of fish and animal traps, handicrafts, models of boats and others.

Museum journal

The Sarawak Museum Journal is published by the museum staff. It was first published in 1911, with John Moulton the inaugural editor, making it one of the oldest scientific journals of the South-East Asian region. Topics covered include the history, natural history and ethnology of the island of Borneo.

Curators and directors

Ipoi Datan, the current director of Sarawak State Museum.

Until 1974, the head of the museum was termed "Curator":

J.E.A. Lewis — Pro tem Curator, acting from 25 June 1888 – 1902
Dr George Darby Haviland — 26 February 1891 – 1 March 1893
Edward Bartlett — 1 March 1893 – 22 July 1897
Robert Walter Campbell Shelford — 22 July 1897 – 2 February 1905
John Hewitt — 2 February 1905 – November 1908
John Coney Moulton — November 1908 – 22 January 1915
Mr Erman & K. H. Gillan — Officers in charge, 22 January 1915 – May 1922 (during WWI)
Dr Eric Georg Mjöberg — May 1922 – 19 December 1924
Gerard T.M. MacBryan — Acting Curator, 20 December 1924 – 24 January 1925
Edward Banks — 20 February 1925 – 1945 (1942–1945 interned)
Tom Harrisson — June 1947 – November 1966
Benedict Sandin — December 1966 – March 1974

After this, "Director" was the title for the head of the museum:

Lucas Chin — 1 April 1974 – December 1991
Dr Peter M. Kedit – December 1991 – April 1996
Sanib Said — May 1997 - December 2008
Ipoi Datan - January 2009 – Present

Literature

Lenzi, Iola (2004). Museums of Southeast Asia. Singapore: Archipelago Press. p. 200 pages. ISBN 981-4068-96-9.

References

↑ "Original Children's Hospital Samuel Way Building".
↑ Patrica, Hului (7 August 2015). "Tracing the designs behind the Sarawak Museum". The Borneo Post. Archived from the original on 9 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.

"Curators", Sarawak Museum Official Website, Accessed 9 July 2015

External links

Sarawak Museums

Colonial architecture of Malaysia

British	All Saints' Church All Souls' Church Atkinson Clock Tower Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Church of the Risen Christ City Hall Coliseum Theatre Eastern & Oriental Hotel Fort Cornwallis Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Holy Spirit Cathedral Hotel Majestic Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Jubilee Clock Tower Kellie's Castle Kinarut Mansion Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower Malacca Light Malay and Islamic World Museum National Textile Museum One Fathom Bank Lighthouse Penang High Court Pisang Island Lighthouse Undan Island Lighthouse Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sarawak State Museum St. Anne's Church St. George's Church St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan Suffolk House Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Building The Astana

Dutch	Christ Church Dutch Fort Governor's Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Proclamation of Independence Memorial Stadthuys St. John's Fort St. Peter's Church

French	Church of St. Francis Xavier

Portuguese	A Famosa Cape Rachado Lighthouse St. Paul's Church

Historical related buildings, memorials, monuments and sites in Malaysia

West Malaysia

Buildings	A Famosa Abidin Mosque All Saints' Church All Souls' Church Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple Buddhist Maha Vihara Cape Rachado Lighthouse Church of the Risen Christ City Hall Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Cheng Hoon Teng Christ Church Coliseum Theatre Church of St. Francis Xavier Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Dhammikarama Burmese Temple Dutch Fort Eastern & Oriental Hotel Fort Cornwallis Governor's Museum Holy Spirit Cathedral Hotel Majestic Istana Ampang Tinggi Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Istana Seri Menanti Jalan Baru Sri Muniswarar Temple Jehan Chan Art Gallery Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple Jubilee Clock Tower Kampung Hulu Mosque Kampung Laut Mosque Kapitan Keling Mosque Kek Lok Si Kellie's Castle Khoo Kongsi Kong Hock Keong Temple Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan Lebuh Aceh Mosque Macau Gallery Malacca Light Malay and Islamic World Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Youth Museum National Mosque of Malaysia National Textile Museum Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple One Fathom Bank Lighthouse DBKL City Theatre Penang High Court Penang Islamic Museum Perak State Museum Pinang Peranakan Mansion Poh San Teng Temple Proclamation of Independence Memorial Pisang Island Lighthouse Undan Island Lighthouse Snake Temple Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Sri Aghora Veerapathra Temple Sri Kandaswamy Kovil Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Penang Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam Temple Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple Sri Sunderaraja Perumal Temple Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple Stadthuys St. Anne's Church St. George's Church St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral St. John's Fort St. Paul's Church St. Peter's Church Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Suffolk House Sultanah Aminah Hospital Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Abdul Samad Building Sultan Ibrahim Building Taiping Hospital Tamil Methodist Church Thni Kong Tnua Wat Chayamangkalaram Wat Phothivihan

Memorials and monuments	Alor Gajah British Graveyard Batu Tenggek War Memorial Cheras War Cemetery Dutch Graveyard Hang Jebat Mausoleum Hang Li Poh's Well Hang Tuah's Well Kedah Royal Mausoleum Kelantan Royal Mausoleum Kuala Klawang Memorial Lord Murugan Statue Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum Heroes' Mausoleum Sultan Abdul Samad Mausoleum Tomb of Sultan Ali Tomb of Sultan Mahmud Shah II Malacca Warrior Monument Millennium Monument National Monument Old Protestant Cemetery Pahang Old Royal Mausoleum Penang Jewish Cemetery Seri Menanti Royal Mausoleum Statue of Kuan Yin Taiping War Cemetery Kris Monument Tun Teja Mausoleum

Site	Batu Caves Fort of Smelly Monitor Lizard Chinese Hill Princess Hill Chinatown, Kuala Terengganu Fort of Ruins Fort of Ngah Ibrahim's Lenggong Malacca General Hospital Markets of Taiping Morib Penang Botanic Gardens St. Paul's Hill Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital Biru Seri Kundang Lake

East Malaysia

Buildings	Atkinson Clock Tower Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Kinarut Mansion Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sam Sing Kung Temple Sandakan Jamek Mosque Sarawak State Museum St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan The Astana Tua Pek Kong Temple

Memorials and monuments	Bronze Globe of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau Brooke Memorial Chartered Company Monument Cho Huan Lai Memorial De Fontaine Memorial Double Six Monument Gunner Cleary Memorial Keningau Oath Stone Kuching Heroes Cemetery Kundasang War Memorial World War II Memorial Last POW Camp Memorial Mat Salleh Memorial North Borneo War Monument Petagas War Memorial Quailey's Hill Memorial Rafflesia Monument Sandakan Heritage Trail Sandakan Massacre Memorial Sandakan Memorial Park Sandakan War Monument Starcevich Monument Tawau Japanese War Memorial Tun Datu Mustapha Memorial William Pryer Monument

Site	Agop Batu Tulug Caves Batu Lawi Hill Batu Lintang camp Chinatown, Kuching Duchess of Kent Hospital Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu Nunuk Ragang Queen Elizabeth Hospital Sandakan camp Sarawak General Hospital

Museums of Malaysia

West Malaysia

Arts	Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum Batik Painting Museum Penang Cheng Ho Cultural Museum Islamic Arts Museum Kite Museum Macau Gallery Malacca Malacca Art Gallery Malacca Islamic Museum Malacca Literature Museum Malacca Stamp Museum National Textile Museum National Visual Arts Gallery Penang Islamic Museum Penang Museum and Art Gallery Petronas Gallery Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Sultan Alam Shah Museum Wei-Ling Gallery

Historic house	Governor's Museum Istana Ampang Tinggi Istana Negara Istana Seri Menanti Kota Ngah Ibrahim Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Youth Museum Perak State Museum People's Museum Proclamation of Independence Memorial Stadthuys Sun Yat-sen Museum Penang Tun Ghafar Baba Museum

History	Beauty Museum Chitty Museum Education Museum Gallery of Admiral Cheng Ho Malacca Al-Quran Museum Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum Malacca Transportation Museum Malay and Islamic World Museum Maybank Numismatic Museum National History Museum National Museum Orang Asli Museum Pulau Besar Museum Royal Malaysian Police Museum Time Tunnel

Maritime	Maritime Museum Flor de la Mar Royal Malaysian Customs Department Museum Royal Malaysian Navy Museum Submarine Museum

Science	Al-Khawarizmi Astronomy Complex Malacca Planetarium National Science Centre Planetarium Negara

Other	Democratic Government Museum Malacca UMNO Museum Museum of Custom and Tradition Toy Museum

East Malaysia

Arts	Kuching Cat Museum Sabah Museum

Historic house	Fort Sylvia Labuan Museum Sarawak State Museum The Astana

Maritime	Labuan Maritime Museum

Science	Planetarium Sultan Iskandar

Kingdom of Sarawak

Rajahs

James Brooke (1841–1868)
Charles Anthony Johnson Brooke (1868–1917)
Charles Vyner Brooke (1917–1946)

Kingdom

Symbols	Constitution Coat of arms Currency Flag Anthem Revenue stamps Order of the Star of Sarawak

Organisations	Borneo Company Limited Sarawak Rangers

Buildings	Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Sarawak State Museum The Astana

Dissolution

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