Islamic Arts Museum

The Islamic Arts Museum (Malay: Muzium Kesenian Islam) is one of the largest and most popular museums in Malaysia featuring exhibits from the Muslim world. Located on the eastern side of the Lake Gardens, the Islamic Arts Museum is the first of its kind in Malaysia. It’s truly a magnificent monument that incorporates the largest collections of exhibits in South East Asia with over 7000 artifacts. The museum has all sorts of collections which range from Asian arts to exhibits from Persia and the Middle East.

Some of the attractive features of the Islamic Arts Museum are the Inverted Dome Pavilion which is an airy exhibition hall with its unique dome executed in white and gold, bearing extracts from the Koran. In addition, the museum also has a state-of-the-art auditorium which can seat up to 250 people and is used for seminars and lectures. In addition, if you are a big fan of jewelries, then don’t miss the Jewelry Gallery at the museum where ornaments from across Asia are housed here, including Iranian gold anklets and a 19th century gold and ruby necklace from Mughal India.

Islamic Arts Museum (Malay: Muzium Kesenian Islam Malaysia)

The uniqueness of the Islamic Arts Museum lies in the architecture of the building. The impressive eye-catching museum features some of the most striking Islamic artwork in the building. One of which is the building’s turquoise domes and the fine example of Iranian tile-work on column at the entrance. Moreover, the interior of the museum is even more appealing with five elegant domes created by Uzbek craftsmen decorating the ceilings.

The Quran and Manuscript Gallery is something that you don’t want to miss as it features handwritten Korans, Sultans’ decrees, miniature paintings, and scholarly works on botany and astronomy. Others featured exhibits include the Woodwork Gallery located on level 2 which exhibits elaborately crafted wooden artifacts often embellished with ivory and mother-of-pearl. Moreover, there is also the Architecture Gallery which focuses on collection of scale models f mosques, including the Dome on the Rock, Taj Mahal and the Al-Haram Mosque.

Islamic Arts Museum (Malay: Muzium Kesenian Islam Malaysia)

A couple of must-see features at this museum are the Standard Chartered Ottoman Room and the Turkish Iznik Tiles. The Standard Chartered Ottoman Room once belonged to a lavish house built in Syria in 1820 and has now been restored to its original appearance. It is spectacularly decorated with painted wood paneling. The Turkish Iznik Tiles are tiles with stylish trees, fruits and foliage in vibrant hues which were first produced in the Turkish city of Iznik in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Islamic Arts Museum is located at Jalan Lembah Perdana and can conveniently be reached by taking a cab from the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. All in all, the Islamic Arts Museum is one of the must-see tourist destinations in Kuala Lumpur.

Driving Direction to The Islamic Arts Museum:

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