This museum, a stunning reproduction of the Melaka Palace, portrays Melaka’s rich history. The building’s historic furnishings and exquisite artwork complement exhibitions and curated collections, making it one of the best locations to absorb Melaka’s cultural offerings.
Introduction to Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum
The Melaka Sultanate Palace, which is situated at the base of St. Paul’s Hill is a perfect replica of Sultan Mansur Shah’s palace from the 15th century. The Cultural Museum, also known as Muzium Kebudayaan, has been transformed into a museum showcasing the heritage and history of the Malay Sultanate.
The eight chambers of the three-story Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum are separated into displays of traditional dress, artwork, jewellery, weapons, and other artefacts. Three galleries in the museum also display local legends as dioramas. The sculpture of the sultan’s headdress, which is prominently displayed in the museum garden, is a key draw.
The Melaka Sultanate Palace is a prime example of Malaysian architecture from the 15th century and was created using conventional techniques without the use of any nails. A copper roof and wooden pillars provide support for the palace.
History and Significance of Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum
Beginning in the early 1400s, the Melaka/Malacca Sultanate was one of the most affluent and powerful Islamic Malay kingdoms in Southeast Asia. It prospered for more than a century, building trade and diplomatic ties with other countries and collecting tribute from minor kingdoms in the area.
Malacca was known as “the Venice of the East,” and traders from Arab, Persia, China, India, and even Europe came to conduct business there. It had good governance and established laws (Hukum Kanun Melaka), as well as literary and artistic endeavours such as poetry.
Naturally, no Asian country could compete with the conquest and firepower of Europe; as a result, in 1511 it fell to the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and English. But this lengthy and diversified past has helped Malacca become a popular tourist destination today.
The Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum was constructed in 1984 based on annotations discovered in the old Malay Annals. These historical records depict the architecture and building of the Malay Palaces during Sultan Mansur Syah’s reign from 1456 to 1477. This duplicate structure is made of only two types of hardwood, chengal and rasak, with the roof made of belian wood. It’s worth noting that the construction is held together merely by wooden pegs. There isn’t a single nail involved.
On top of Melaka Hill, today known as St. Paul’s Hill, was where the old palace, Istana, was situated. The Istana featured a multi-tiered roof and a frontage that was 300 feet broad. On a beautiful day, the roof’s glazed red shingle tiles sparkled brilliantly and could be seen for miles. Chinese mirrors were used to adorn the external walls.
The Malay Annals also mentions how Sultan Mansur Syah was so troubled by the passing of Hang Jebat, who died next to the Istana, that he commanded its destruction. Then, Sultan Mansur Syah gave the order to build Mahligai, an even more exquisite palace.
Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum Ticket and Entrance Fee
Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum Entrance Fee is:
Adult (Non-Malaysian) – RM20
Adult (Malaysian) – RM10
Child (Non-Malaysian) – RM10
Child (Malaysian) – RM5
You can get your Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum Ticket online from Perzim official website here!
Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum Operation Hours
The Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum opens every Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:00am – 5:30pm.
Note that it is closed on Mondays.
What To See in Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum?
Malacca Sultanate Palace Exhibitions
The ground floor consists of several central rooms that are encircled by a long hallway.
The entrance hallway features dioramas depicting the various traders who transacted business with Malacca in its heyday, including mannequins dressed as Siamese, Gujarati, Javanese, Chinese, and Arabian merchants. The Siamese traders, in particular, consist of unique Western features and smiles.
The headdresses (crowns) of the Malaysian Sultans, the weapons used by Malay soldiers during the Malacca Sultanate, the cooking and dining utensils of the time, and the leisure pastimes of the Malays in the 15th century are among the additional exhibits along the perimeter hallway.
The Throne Room of the Malacca Sultanate Palace
The central hall on the first floor of Malacca’s Sultanate Palace is divided between the royal room and an exhibit focusing on the life of Hang Tuah, the defining hero of the Malay Annals. It’s one of the Palace’s two major biographical exhibitions, the other being that of the noblewoman Tun Kudu on the second level.
The legends of Hang Tuah and Tun Kudu capture the values of the Malay aristocracy of the time – allegiance to their king above all else – in a way that may appear archaic to today’s museum visitor.
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Both locals and tourists should visit the Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum. It will undoubtedly allow you to learn about the significant history of Melaka, and SOCAR can help you arrange transport to the museum! You can commute to wherever you wish every day for as little as RM6 per hour!
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