national textile museum malaysia case study

National Textile Museum

An exploration of malaysian heritage through the lens of traditional textiles. .

Housed within a striking landmark building designed in the Indo-Saracenic Revival style, the National Textile Museum in Kuala Lumpur is dedicated to the very fabric of Malaysian culture.

Behind the pink-striped exterior of the former Federated Malay States Railways building, the museum is comprised of four galleries spread across two floors. They trace the history and significance of Malaysian textiles through the exhibition of traditional modes of dress, and by charting the evolution of textile-producing technology.

The Pohon Budi or “Tree of Life” gallery introduces visitors to the ancient origins of textile production and trade. This gallery spotlights prominent Malaysian textiles such as the songket (a silk sarong interwoven with gilded thread), keringkam (a kind of gold embroidery typically seen in headscarves worn by women in the Malaysian state of Sarawak), pua kumbu (a colorful, patterned cloth reserved for Iban ceremonies), and linangkit (a kind of decorative embroidery that adorns the skirts of Lotud women). The gallery also maps out the tools and techniques used to create these textiles.

The Pelangi Gallery is named after a multicolored cloth worn by various ethnic groups across Malaysia. This rainbow fabric is said to symbolize Malaysia’s colorful heritage, and showcases the ways in which different communities style and adorn this national textile.

The Teluk Berantai Gallery refers to the floral motif featured in Malaysian songkets. The pattern is associated with Malaysian unity, though different groups have cultivated their own aesthetic versions of it; from tekatan (embroidered gold on raised velvet) to kain limar (a silk panel draped over the songket).

Lastly, the Ratna Sari Gallery focuses on the exquisite finishing touches that complement Malaysian costumes: jewels and accessories made from gems, metals, and gold. The term Ratna Sari refers specifically to the traditional jewelry crafted by Malaysian artisans of yore, and which incorporates Chinese, Indian, and Malay details.

Know Before You Go

The National Textile Museum is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is 5 Malaysian ringgits (about $1.20) for foreigners. The museum is about a 15-minute walk from the Masjid Jamek station in Kuala Lumpur.

Community Contributors

• http://asemus.museum/museum/national-textile-museum/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Textile_Museum
• http://www.jmm.gov.my/en/museum/national-textiles-museum

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Adaptive reuse of several historical buildings in Kuala Lumpur as museums

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• University of Malaysia, Kelantan

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Thread Counts of History: A Look into the National Textile Museum

There’s more to the National Textile Museum than meets the eye. Vanessa Gomes speaks to the museum’s senior curator, Mohd. Syahrul Ab. Ghani and discovers the art and stories behind the woven threads.

Just opposite the road from Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square is a rather tiny museum, but don’t let its size fool you. Malaysia’s National Textile Museum is set up in a heritage building there, which was previously occupied by various departments and institutions. The building itself holds a lot of history as it was completed in 1896, but this isn’t what we’re exploring today. Today, we take a look at the 3259 meter squared museum, comprising of 2 and a half levels of textiles full of history.

Material Culture Through the Ages

There are four exhibition galleries throughout the museum – Pohon Budi Gallery, Pelangi Gallery, Teluk Berantai Gallery, and Ratna Sari Gallery. Also known as Pohon Hayat or Tree of Life, Pohon Budi is a large tree that can act as a shelter and symbolises history. The Pohon Budi Gallery showcases the textile origins from pre-historic times and its growth through trade in the region. Here, you can also see the tools, materials, and traditional techniques of textile-making through weaving, embroidery, batik-making, gold embroidering, knitting, and beading work, focusing on Malaysia’s main textiles such as songket (a silk sarong with golden thread woven into it), tekatan (gold embroidery created by stitching gold thread to create a raised relief on velvets), telepuk (a fine cotton or silk cloth with imprinted floral motifs using gold leaf or dust), decorative beads, and batik.

There’s also a focus on East Malaysia with the showcasing of pua kumbu (a traditional patterned multi-coloured ceremonial cotton cloth used by the Iban in Sarawak), keringkam (the traditional embroidery of Sarawak’s Malays normally found on women’s headscarves), linangkit (handmade decorative embroidery adorning the knee-length skirts of the Lotud people), and kain pis (a richly embroidered one–metre piece of two facing pieces of cloth worn by the Rungus/Kadazandusun group as head-gear).

Next is the Pelangi Galley, which means rainbow in Malay, portraying the different colours and cultures here in Malaysia, including kain pelangi , a traditional textile known as the royal yarn of multi-coloured cloth with soft colours such as green, pink, yellow, and blue. This gallery also exhibits some selected heritage collections such as the types of batiks and its growth, clothes of the Chinese community, and Baba and Nyonya heritage, all of which are rich with silk and gold threads, beadings, and fine and varied motifs of ethnic Sarawakian and Sabahan textile collections.

The Teluk Berantai Gallery exhibits the richness, finesse, and beauty of Malay heritage such as kain tenun (woven fabric) kain limar (an apron-like piece made of silk and worn over the kain songket ), kain limar songket tenggarung (limar cloth with heavily accentuated gold thread), kain berayat (scripted cloth), and various other costumes.

Last but not least, the Ratna Sari Gallery, which exhibits jewellery items and personal adornments of the different ethnic groups in Malaysia made of gold, silver, copper, beads, and plants, designed to be worn on different parts of the body, from head to toe, including the crown, pemeleh (dangling earrings), cucuk sanggul (hair pin), dokoh (necklace with a large concave pendant), pending (large waist buckle usually made of silver), gelang tangan (bracelet), caping (chastity plate), and gelang kaki (anklet). The term Ratna Sari refers to a selected collection of jewellery borne from the creativity of artisans of the past.

Curating Tales of the Past

It takes a team to set up the exhibits in the museum, which include curators, conservators, and designers. For the museum’s senior curator, Mohd. Syahrul Ab. Ghani, importance is placed on the history and story behind the textiles there, most of which date back more than 100 years, with the aim of instilling the importance of understanding history.

“Sometimes people don’t understand it, especially in Malaysia, because they think a museum is only for old artefacts. We need to open the mind-set and views of Malaysians, however, I realise that a lot of young people recognise the importance of a museum,” he said.

“We need this museum because it is part of our identity. Without all this material culture, we will have no evidence that we were here and it belongs to us, that the country belongs to us. Every single textile here tells a story.”

What makes this museum special is that it doesn’t just showcase material culture, but also provides an education through art as a form of stress relief. Syahrul noted that in recent years, especially among the younger generation living in KL, people tend to go through a lot of stress in their everyday lives. Sometimes, all that is needed is something colourful that’s been put on display with good lighting.

“The city is a bit cramped and we need something to be a form of therapy for us to ease the mind. I think art is one of the methods to do that because it’s not just beautiful but also colourful, hence many are attracted to the textiles here,” he said.

“Nowadays, people normally practice the minimalist concept with fashion, focusing on black and white, but at the end of the day, we need to contrast the minimalism and the stressfulness of our lives with something that’s receptive to our brains, like colours, and for some, wearing something too colourful on our bodies can be too much.”

Not Too Bright, Not Too Damp

Did you know that textiles are the most difficult type of artefacts to take care of? Due to their fragile nature and organic composition, it needs to be exposed to little light and heat, depending on the material it is made of as most textiles are made from protein and can decompose. Every few months, depending on the condition of the textile collections, the museum changes the textiles, which is done by the conservators.

“One of our objectives is to keep these precious textiles longer, most of which are 100 to 200 years old, or more. The older generation is leaving and a new generation being born, so we have to leave something for them to replicate,” said Syahrul.

“I don’t think ideas are fully original because everything is copied from somewhere and modified. We copied and modified God’s creations, and we learn from nature, our experiences, and culture, so that we can create something good.”

Acknowledging Contemporary Art

While most of the museum has treasures from the past, their temporary exhibitions are the ones that keep young artists and enthusiasts engaged. Depending on the project and exhibition, some of the temporary exhibitions go through years of research before it makes it to the gallery. As the temporary gallery is not only confined to showcasing ancient relics, Syahrul said this space allows him to create something new once in a while and lets his imagination loose. But he also takes the time and effort to try and engage with visitors when he can.

“We provide a space for people who want to expose themselves and their art to the public, so the temporary gallery is able to tackle the younger generation because it is something they understand,” he said.

“The best thing for me is when I get to come down to the galleries to meet people and tell them the stories. I like to talk to the visitors, especially when they come in big groups. No matter how busy I am, I will come down and entertain them.”

He puts into perspective the kind of work and effort the weavers put in just to make a single piece of clothing, some of which can take months to complete. Most weavers are very hard working and usually work just to put food on the table for the family, although most of the cloths on display were purchased by royalty or the rich.

“Imagine a woman, who is a mother of three, stressfully weaving for six months just to sell and put food on the table. In modern times, some of the more traditional cloths can cost up to RM36,000, so imagine how it used to cost then, but the rich people can afford it.”

“Without the rich, the poor wouldn’t have been able to survive and get the food they needed, so this shows the balance of life at that time.”

At the end of the day, what he hopes is for people to take the time to sit and stare at some of the exhibits here and let the mind wander.

“Just come here and appreciate the art, and be at peace looking at the beauty. Just sit here and admire how beautiful this cloth is. Imagine it’s yours and you get to wear it. Remember the work put into it by the weavers. Even the motives have a story. Immerse yourself in its story, history, and threads.”

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A Day at Kuala Lumpur’s National Textile Museum

The National Textile Museum, also known as Muzium Tekstil Negara, is a museum in Kuala Lumpur that showcases the origins, development, and techniques of local textiles and their role in Malaysian heritage.

The museum is housed in the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building, located right in front of Dataran Merdeka. Inside, visitors can explore four exhibition galleries showcasing renowned textile collections, accessories, and clothing.

Galeri Pohon Budi: This gallery explores the history and innovations of textiles, from ancient times to the present. It also showcases old tools, materials, and traditional techniques of textile-making, such as weaving, embroidery, printing, and more. The main focus is on the predominant Malaysian textiles, such as songket, pua kumbu, telepuk, tekatan, keringkam, linangkit, decorative beads and batik.

Galeri Pelangi: The Pelangi gallery celebrates the diverse and vibrant textiles of Malaysia’s ethnic groups. You can discover how different types of batik have changed over time. You can also appreciate the exquisite silk, gold, and beadwork of the Chinese, Baba, and Nyonya communities. The gallery displays fabrics from Sarawak and Sabah as well, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of these regions.

Galeri Teluk Berantai: The Teluk Berantai motif, which symbolises unity and solidarity, is a distinctive feature of Malay songket weaving. This gallery honours Malay heritage with collections of various fabrics and clothing, such as tekatan, kelingkan, kain tenun, kain limar, kain telepuk, kain berayat, and various other costumes. These items illustrate the richness and intricacy of Malay textile craftsmanship.

Galeri Ratna Sari: Ratna Sari displays a curated collection of jewellery crafted by artisans from different ethnic groups in Malaysia, including Malay, Chinese, Indian, Orang Asli and the indigenous groups of Sabah and Sarawak. These pieces, made of gold, silver, copper, beads and plants, were worn by people of all races in the past and are designed to adorn various parts of the body.

We visited the museum on September 1, 2023. The entrance fee was RM2 for adults, while children 12 years old and below are free. The museum is open every day from 9 AM to 5 PM, with the last ticket purchase available until 4:30 PM. Closed on the first and second days of Hari Raya celebrations.

We learned a lot from the visit. The map detailing the history of textiles in Malaysia and showcasing which state produced what textile was particularly helpful. The museum also showed and described the techniques used in great detail. One hour was not enough to read all these descriptions.

The National Textile Museum is located near Dataran Merdeka, in the southeast direction. If you go by train, Pasar Seni and Masjid Jamek are the closest LRT stations to the museum. Here’s a map for LRT, MRT, Monorail Lines & BRT Sunway Line for your reference. For buses, click here .

If you prefer to travel by bus, you can take the KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus and get off at Dataran Merdeka, which is right in front of the museum. Alternatively, you can use any bus service that stops at Dataran Merdeka.

Here’s the Google Maps link to the museum. It’s a good idea to give them a call at +60326943457 first to check if the museum is open or not.

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Artistic Heritage of Kelingkan Embroidery in Malaysia: History and Development

2021, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

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IAEME Publication

Kelingkan is a unique handicraft that uses metal strips gilt with gold or silver that is embroidered onto the surface of a soft fabric. The intricacy of this type of embroidery requires a high degree of detail and expertise. In Malaysia, kelingkan embroidery is practised on a small scale and sold for a high sum. However, how far is kelingkan embroidery known today and can it become a catalyst for the development of the creative industry? This study is conducted in the descriptive qualitative method via field work, namely observational interviews with embroiderers and studies of collections. As a result, this study has found that there are 3 states with active embroiderers that are still able to sell their kelingkan shawls or selayah for more than RM1000 per piece. In addition, the beauty and creativity of kelingkan embroidery has continued to attract even more members of the community to purchase kelingkan items, as they are used in important official ceremonies. This study has also concluded that an increase in the number of embroiderers will help to generate revenue and increase the production of kelingkan products to aid in the development of the creative industry. As an implication, this study can be used a source of knowledge and income, so that this art form will be sustained and be a source of income for the Malay community.

Proceeding of 2nd USM-PSU International Conference on Art and Sciences

Dayang Sandrawati Abang Josmani

Keringkam, a gold thread embroidery done on veils is a traditional head cover worn by the Sarawak Malays for weddings, engagements, cultural festivals or other special occasions. Traditionally, the keringkam veil or selayah keringkam made by the Sarawak Malays are always of a deep red color and play a significant role in their weddings. Today, the tradition and interest in the selayah keringkam veil is slowly diminishing and is slowly forgotten by the younger generation. Some have not heard or seen it. Some may have seen it but does not know its value. Currently, there are very few skilled selayah keringkam-makers in Sarawak who are still practicing the art of making this special veil. This paper identifies the characteristics and processes of making the selayah keringkam with better documentation of the process through pictures. The paper concludes by discussing ways to preserve the traditional embroidery for the purpose of creating awareness among the younger generations, to recognize its importance as part of the Malay heritage in Sarawak and its potential as a tourism product. Key Words: selayah keringkam, traditional embroidery

Proceedings of the International Conference on Arts and Design Education (ICADE 2018)

Disaya Chudasri

This paper presents findings from a review of the literature about traditional embroidery of China, knowledge management and design. It aims to identify knowledge domains, which are relevant to enabling the future viability of traditional embroidery. This paper introduces a significance of traditional embroidery to China, including its geographical indications (GIs), intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and Soft Power. It also identifies the four traditional embroideries that represent the intangible cultural heritage of China. The situation analysis of these four embroideries is discussed, resulting in the rationale for selecting Shu embroidery for in-depth case study. Next, it outlines the meaning of knowledge management and knowledge audit and the five secondary case-studies of knowledge management in relation to business and community development. This results in the identification of key factors of success (collaboration, the importance of leadership in integration, customer-oriented, design and implementation and networks of knowledge sharing). Furthermore, it outlines five secondary case-studies of design contributions in relation to knowledge audit and business development of crafts communities. This results in the identification of potential areas for design contributions, including: product design and development (i.e. pattern design); design for marketing and sales (i.e. branding); design in production development; and design for craft education (i.e. knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing). Design for sustainability, co-design and service-design are critical to the success of community development. The next step of this research is about knowledge audit, including developments of a conceptual model of critical knowledge domains for business and community development. Fieldwork will be conducted in craft communities that produce Shu embroidery in Sichuan, China in order to identify their existing knowledge and the missing knowledge (gaps in knowledge). It concludes with three main research questions generated to help guide the fieldwork.

Metallic Embroidery and Masters of Thread-Breaking as an Example of Cultural Heritage in Turkish Handicrafts

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One of the most important elements that give the insight to ensure identity and dimension to the societies is the tradition of handicrafts. These valuable traditions, which have been inherited from generation to generation until today, are now on the verge of extinction because of globalization and developments in production technologies. Local, national and international precautions have been taken by today's societies to sustain and protect these valuable traditions. The purpose of this study is to analyze the past, present, and future of the art of thread-breaking (a specific type of metallic embroidery named 'Bartın işi') which is one of the valuable Turkish traditional handicrafts. For this purpose, five embroidery masters who perform this traditional art were interviewed with semi-structural interview forms. According to the findings obtained through these processes: Metallic embroidery masters learnt this art out of curiosity with internal motivation, they performed this art within the frame of neighborhood culture, the art is usually learnt through observations and trial-and-error processes rather than master-apprentice relationship and there have been changes over time in the variety of the instruments and motifs used in the making of these embroideries and the areas of use. On the other hand, it was observed that the art of metallic embroidery has been mostly performed by individuals over middle age and today the young show little interest in this art. Participants of the study emphasized that it is necessary to support and increase the local and international advertising and educational activities to popularize this valuable art tradition.

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Radha Kashyap

Rajasthan, a colourful state has a rich heritage of vivid types of embroideries and different communities are practicing it in their own style. The women folks of remote villages are unexposed to the modern civilization and are experts in preparing articles of such great aesthetic value. Hence there is a need for traditional embroideries to be popularized. An effort has been made to develop it in to an industrial craft in order to save the everlasting art and reminiscent beauty of the past. The present study aims in documenting the motifs of Mukke-Ka-Kaam embroidery of Barmer region of Rajasthan and to explore the tools and techniques used in executing this embroidery. This heritage is presently under extinction henceforth, an attempt is made to preserve this cultural heritage of art and craft.

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This research aims to reveal the construction of meaning of Tasikmalaya handicraft entrepreneurs in maintaining their existence in the midst of global competition today. The business of kelom geulis (beautiful wooden sandals) is the object of this study because it has functional value and there are many demands from buyers. Using qualitative with a phenomenological approach, research data is collected through direct observation, in-depth interviews with kelom geulis and bordir (embroidery) entrepreneurs, as well as documentation studies to complete the data gathered from the location. The result shows that the business of embroidery and kelom geulis is an effort to preserve local cultural heritage and identity of Tasikmalaya unique handicraft from extinction. This research concludes that Tasikmalaya City handicraft entrepreneurs interpreted the embroidery and kelom geulis business as an effort to fulfill life necessities and preserve the ancestor's heritage to maintain the ident...

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This study aimed to understand the best practices and the cultural tradition of panubok, the embroidery tradition original to Panay Bukidnon, and reviving this embroidery tradition in the barangays of Tapaz, Capiz, Philippines. Using the qualitative research design, four (4) informants from Minan, Tapaz, Capiz that are practicing panubok were purposively chosen. Fieldwork, observations, key informant interviews, and documentary and photographic analysis were the methods used. Verbatim data transcripts were analyzed using the general inductive approach by Thomas (2006). The results of the study showed that the respondents see panubok as an integral part of their culture and think of it as a source of income for their community. Though researches tell that this cultural practice is facing extinction, there are many ways that these can be promoted more and taught to Panay Bukidnon youth natives to preserve their culture, tradition and identity.

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Luang Prabang native textile is regarded as the city's principal cultural merchandise. In the past, aesthetic and refined weaving was intended as gifts to present to kings and aristocractes only. However, after Luang Prabang was declared a world heritage site, the city became a popular tourist attraction, and this raised the value of its cultural goods. Textile became an item precious to travellers, the most famous being the royal fabric or (Pa-Tor-Raj) of Luang Prabang's Royal Residence. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate patterns, identity and creative processes of the native textile industry of Luang Prabang, a World Heritage city of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The study uses the in-depth interview method to elicit information from well-known professional weavers and royal fabric weavers who have been producing textile since before the regime change. The results of the study revealed that the patterns of native textile could be classified into two main categories. The first was textile used in daily life, such as sarong, Pa-Biang (shawl used by women that wraps over one shoulder around the chest and back) and shawl (used by women to cover their shoulders), while the second category was textile used in religious ceremonies, such as tung (fabric hanging down a long piece of wood) and curtain material. The prominent motif used in weaving is a pattern inspired from ritual and traditional belief representing the great naga or serpent. Manufacturing procedure was developed from the surroundings and religious faith; these may be divided into three categories: 1) patterns derived from animals, such as the naga, mermaids, birds, lions and the Morm, mythological creature 2) patterns derived from flora, such as trees, vines, flowers and fruit 3) patterns based on people and folklore, such as virtue codes of morality and tradition.

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Organization Type

Exhibition museum

Permanent Exhibition

textile arts and crafts

National Textile Museum Of Malaysia

For the National Textile Museum of Malaysia, freestanding display cases and wall display cases from Relicase gave a satisfied display effect, with the help of illumination. The National Textile Museum of Malaysia showcases the rich cultural heritage of Malaysia’s textile arts and crafts. Visitors to the museum can peek into the world of batik and learn about making batik as well as traditional fabrics such as Songket, Kain Gerus, Pua and Telepuk.

Some of the main exhibits are textile samples of historical value or fashionable designs. Four galleries, Pohon Budi, Pelangi, Teluk Berantai and Ratna Sari. They are dedicated to showcasing the architectural styles of the colonial period with a mixture of wall, freestanding and Table top display cases. This cooperation aimed for textile display.

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Home | Our Works | The National Textile Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The National Textile Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• Client State of Selangor, Malaysia
• Theme Ethnography
• Project Type Historical Textile & Jewellery Of Malaysia
• Case Types Cyrus P&S, Ramses HD

The National Textile Museum of Malaysia

A rare opportunity to deliver the highest standard of showcase designs to match the 114 year old landmark building’s architecture..

Sited within the historic centre of Kuala Lumpur, an 18th century building, conserved and refurbished in late 2008, now houses the National Textile Museum of Malaysia. The building itself is a remarkable centre-piece of landmark architecture and is flanked by the Sultan Abdul Samad building and the Dayabumi building, which sits diagonally across the Royal Selangor Club and Dataran Merdeka Building on the perimeter of the Merdeka Square. Once the KTM’s Railway Administration Building until 1917, the building was later handed over to the Selangor Public Works Department, to the Malaysian Central Bank and later, the High Court.

The 114 year old building was designed and completed in an Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture by English architect, Arthur Benison Hubback in 1905. Opened to the public on 9th January 2010, the National Textile Museum displays a rare collection of textiles as well as gold and jewelry ornaments from the multi-ethnic communities of Malaysia.

Space for permanent exhibitions were divided into four galleries within the 2 1/2 storied structure. With a combined area of 3146 m2, the team from Trika was brought in to design and install the museum showcases. However, the project team later discovered that the massive weight-load of the 3.5m high museum cases had exceeded the permissible weight loading for the old building on its second floor.

Reinforcement works to the second floor to install large weight-bearing steel beams took an extra year and by this time, the curatorial plans for the museum had morphed to include a fabulous collection of gold and precious jewelry that necessitates several more high-security cases. Besides two-stage, double-locking ABLOY lock systems, special features such as embedded glass vibration sensors and alarms were specified for these Ramses look-down cases.

The showcase security standards were specified to protect, secure and display Malaysia’s finest gold and silver ornaments.

Within the cavernous main galleries on the two floors, Trika installed their range of large wall-mounted Cyrus cases with concealed light headers along the perimeter walls. Cyrus case system allows for continuous spans of frameless glass cases to be constructed against walls or as free-standing. Using only fibre optic lighting, this is crucial for the conservation and protection of fragile and light sensitive items such as these textiles on display. A series of Ramses look-down cases were specifically developed to address the high protection and security levels required for a rare collection of historic native jewelry, gold and silver ornaments. The team from Trika introduced locks that were re-tweaked to incorporate double-locking, steel bolting ABLOY locking systems. Working alongside the curatorial team of conservators and mounters, Trika showcase team had to purpose-build custom display solutions for the hanging display into these cases. Incorporating some of the many firsts into these display cases, Trika proudly presented their expertise within the hallowed space of this historic building in central Kuala Lumpur.

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National Textile Museum, tracks trends and developments that characterize textile and develop community living in Malaysia

The National Textile Museum let you explore the rich diversity of Malaysian society.

The museum tracks trends and developments that characterize textile and develop community living in Malaysia since the pre-history to the present.

The Museum has a gallery that displays a collection of four leading textiles, accessories and clothing.

It has streaks of red and white of its own revenue from red bricks and white plaster punctuated with alternate, characterizing the adaptation of the Moghul-Islam style of architecture.

• Ground floor layout
• First floor layout
• Pictures of National Textile Museum and surroundings
• Inside National Textile Museum

Entranceway facing the Jalan Sultan Hishammuddin consists of two rectangular oval shaped pole that stretches out from the walls of the dome-roofed.

The Museum is located along Jalan Raja, just next to the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and it is short walking distance from the Dataran Merdeka .

The architecture of this building is of Mughal-Islamic orientation.

There are two octagonal-shaped tower on the side of the building. In each tower there is a concrete dome surrounded by smaller domes.

In 2008, space was added to the glass lobby of the building and used as the main entrance to the museum.

How to go to National Textile Museum

The National Textile Museum is located along Jalan Raja, with Dataran Merdeka at the top right opposite side. See Google Map .

Here are some transportation options you can consider:

★ Go KL City Bus : The Go KL City Bus – Red Line will make stop at Dataran Merdeka .

★ Kelana Jaya line LRT : Take the LRT and stop at the Masjid Jamek LRT station . The Museum is about 10 minutes walk from the LRT station.

★ Ampang line LRT : Take the LRT and stop at the Masjid Jamek LRT station . The Museum is about 10 minutes walk from the LRT station.

★ RapidKL Bus : The RapidKL Bus No U4 , U7 , U13 , U14 , U209 will stop at Jalan Raja bus stop. The Museum is within short walking distance.

National Textile Museum Ground Floor Layout

The following is the ground floor layout of the Museum.

National Textile Museum First Floor Layout

The following is the first floor layout of the National Textile Museum.

Pictures and surroundings

Here are some pictures of the National Textile Museum and its surrounding areas.

Inside Museum

Here are some pictures taken inside the Museum.

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Diversity in every stitch at 'The Secret Of Kebaya' exhibition in KL

Tuesday, 31 Oct 2023

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A close-up detail of the 'Baju Kebaya Sulam' - a short kebaya, with filigree embroidery of a gold fish pattern and flowers made of plain black voile. It is worn with a sleeveless inner garment and embellished with ketuk lubang (punched holes). This garment is matched by a 'Pekalongan' batik sarong tied in the front fold style. Typically worn by Peranakan Chinese and Chetti women. Photo: The Star/Daryl Goh

The wearing of the baju kebaya has long had a strong cultural presence in Malaysia’s multiracial society.

As a traditional clothing, the kebaya represents a significant part of the cultural heritage and identity of women from the Malay, Peranakan (Chinese, Baba Nyonya, Chetti, Siamese, Kristang) and other communities in Malaysia, as well as other countries in South-East Asia.

Each community has its own uniqueness and speciality in terms of styling the baju kebaya, depending on the traditions and occasions being celebrated.

Earlier this year, Malaysia joined four other countries to submit a multi-national nomination for the kebaya to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for the year 2023.

To coincide with the current buzz surrounding this treasured and versatile garment, Kuala Lumpur’s National Textile Museum recently opened an exhibition titled The Secret Of Kebaya, which offers an overview of the kebaya’s rich history and how it has evolved through the years.

The exhibition, organised by the National Unity Ministry in collaboration with the Department of Museums Malaysia (Jabatan Muzium Malaysia, JMM), features more than 60 kebaya exhibits, showing across two levels at the National Textile Museum’s Saindera Gallery until Dec 31.

“Hopefully, this exhibition can be a medium in educating and fostering the spirit of appreciating and loving our national identity at all levels of society, for the sake of the cultural sustainability of the nation’s heritage,” said Datuk Kamarul Baharin A. Kasim, director general of JMM.

The Secret Of Kebaya was officially launched by Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin on Oct 25, who also loaned a set of her “long kebaya” made from the Royal Pahang Weave (Tenun Pahang Diraja), gifted to her by the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

Intangible cultural heritage?

In Malaysia, the hope is that the kebaya meets the definition of Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage, considering the traditional craftsmanship skills such as embroidery and sewing techniques involved to create each garment.

“It is one of the national costumes that symbolises our country’s national identity and is frequently the garment of choice. In fact, the baju kebaya reflects the cultures and traditions of several other Asean countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and Thailand,” said Datuk Aaron Aro Dagang, National Unity Minister at the recent opening ceremony of the exhibition, which aims to draw 10,000 visitors.

“The joint (Unesco) nomination began in January 2022 and was submitted to Unesco in March. The decision will be finalised during the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage next year,” he added.

In preserving cultural heritage, Aaron also views this exhibition as a platform to showcase traditional kebaya-making techniques from various communities, supported by local organisations and designers.

Across the generations

For the visitor, there is plenty to explore at The Secret Of Kebaya, especially with JMM’s collection supplemented by a range of kebaya and accessories loaned from private collections.

The show is divided into five sections: “Kebaya: Heritage of the Past”, “Present, and Eternity”, “Cut of the Baju Kebaya”, “The Kebaya’s Accessories”, “The Kebaya’s Continuity” and “Kebaya in the Eyes of the World”.

The garment, worn for centuries, is very popular to both nobles and commoners alike, and is the preferred clothing to wear when attending formal and informal events.

The uniqueness and identity of this garment can be seen through its cut and design. The basic cut is characterised by a split and pleats at the front, a long or short hem, long sleeves which are secured with three pins and brooches.

From this exhibition, you can see technical drawings and basic patterns of the kebaya according to the different categories.

Besides that, there are also displays of accessories which complement the kebaya such as hairpins, earrings, shawls, and many others.

For kebaya fans and culture vultures, The Secret Of Kebaya is a welcome year-end exhibition.

Over at local jewellery company Habib’s new Harta Heritage Jewellery Museum in Ampang, Selangor, there is the mini museum’s inaugural exhibition highlighting the artistic heritage of Peranakan jewellery across the generations, covering Peranakan Chinese, Jawi and Peranakan Chitty communities.

The Secret Of Kebaya now adds to the fascination for the garment as it captures the kebaya’s wider story, giving viewers in the Klang Valley a chance to discover its multi-racial roots, fashion heritage and also its place in pop culture.

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Tags / Keywords: National Textile Museum , Kebaya , exhibition , heritage , culture

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