This museum is the oldest museum in Peninsular Malaysia. It is located in the town of Taiping, about 85 km from Ipoh, the capital of Perak. It is also near the Taiping Jail and about 3 km from town. If you are on your way or coming down from Bukit Larut, remember to spend one to two hours visiting this well maintained museum. The popular Taiping Zoo is also located about 10 minutes drive away from this museum.





Artifacts

Most of the museum’s earlier collections are ethnological and anthropological items. Geological, botanical and enthamobological collections make up additonal specimens. To date, the total of accumulated collections is 8,474 , consisting of 5,074 cultural collections, 523 nature collections and 2,877 miscellaneous collections, including archaeological items.





The Perak Museum is rich in ethnological, historical, archaeological and ethamobological collections. Some of them are classified as rare collections over a hundred years old such as animal species like the "benturong" and "pulasan", skeletons and scores of animal skeletons and smoked clay which are either extinct or extremely hard to find. Most of these collections and artifacts are displayed in the museum’s four main galleries housed in an almost 120-year old building. It was built in 1883 and maintains an ancient British architectural concept of the Art Dico kind.

Exhibitions continue outside with dugout canoes, fighter planes and antique trains (the kids will love it). There's plenty of English-language explanation, too.







The Nature Gallery exhibits all kinds of animal, bird, fish, snail and herberium species, all of which are housed in unique exhibition cases aged over a hundred years old. They are also placed in various kinds of dioramas which records a British-style presentation method while retaining a wild habitat environment that is both interesting and full of great ecstatic elements.





Most notably there are sections that display specimen of actual animals, and skeleton frame of various animals - with the elephant's frame being the key attraction.





The Cultural Gallery displays collections and artifacts from various types of handiworks, handicrafts and weavings of the Malaysian people, especially from Perak, such as a unique weaving made by the Sultan of Perak’s mother. They are also unique, fascinating and full of ecstatic values that are increasingly hard to find this decade.

The Clay and Indigenous People Gallery is an abundant source of collections and artifacts. Perak is one of the states which is home to a lot of indigenous people from the Proto Malay, Senoi and Negrito tribes. The Indigenous People Gallery in this museum is a window to displaying the great handiwoking skills of the aforementioned tribes.



Source: Official Website

The museum also organizes moving exhibitions, especially to schools around the Taiping township and nearby towns, usually upon request by schools who are interested. Among presented topics are Glorious Taiping and The Perak Sultanage.