Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
secret-society leader and community pillar - he was also one of the wealthiest Baba-
Nonyas of that era.
In a separate building running through to Lebuh China is the new
Straits Chinese Jewelry
dazzling collection of vintage bling and glittery ornamentation. Guides will explain the
significance and cultural relevance of the various pieces and provide some insight into the
craftsmanship behind them.
After visiting the house, be sure to also check out
Chung Keng Kwi Temple
, the adjacent an-
cestral hall, which by comparison feels decidedly less flashy.
PENANG MUSEUM
(
www.penangmuseum.gov.my
;
Lebuh Farquhar; admission RM1; 9am-5pm Sat-Thu)
This is one of the
best-presented state museums in Malaysia. There are engaging exhibits on the customs
and traditions of Penang's various ethnic groups, with photos, documents, costumes, fur-
niture and other well-labelled displays. Upstairs, the history gallery has a collection of
early-19th-century watercolours by Captain Robert Smith, an engineer with the East India
Company, and prints showing landscapes of old Penang. You can also play videos of Pen-
ang's many cultural festivals.
MUSEUM
HOUSE OF YEAP CHOR EE
(
www.houseeyce.com
; 4 Lebuh Penang; adult/child RM8/free; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun)
This museum, housed
in an exquisitely restored three-storey shophouse mansion, is dedicated to a former resid-
ent, itinerant barber-turned-banker Yeap Chor Ee. In addition to family photos and
mementos, the museum has interesting exhibits on Chinese immigration to Penang. An
audio tour is available for RM10, and admission is free if you dine at Sire, the attached
restaurant.
MUSEUM
CLAN JETTIES
(Pengkalan Weld)
F
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Pengkalan Weld was the
centre of one of the world's most thriving ports and provided plentiful work for the never-
ending influx of immigrants. Soon a community of Chinese grew up around the quay,
with floating and stilt houses built along rickety docks; these docking and home areas be-
came known as the clan jetties.
HISTORIC NEIGHBOURHOOD
