1) The Baba-Nyonya Heritage Museum 50 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock Tel: 231-273 Open: Daily from 10 am – 12:30 pm, 2 pm – 4:30 pm GPS: N02°11.710’, E102°14.803’ This family-owned, fascinating house is filled with Chinese and Peranakan antiquities. Tours are given by family members and friends, or you can walk around on your own. After your tour, visit the family’s pretty café, right next door.
2) Villa Sentosa
138 Kampung Morten
Tel 06-282-3988
Open: Saturday – Thursday, 9 am – 1 pm, 2 pm – 5 pm; Friday 2:45 pm – 5 pm.
This charming house in Kanpung Morten is owned by a Malay family that has been in the house for three generations. The artifacts, pieces of family history, furnishings and architecture are compelling, especially if you’re fortunate enough to have the charming Ima Haja-Hashim as your guide. Do remember to tip the family a few ringgit as you depart.
Upon leaving, take a few minutes to visit the colorful houses in Kampung Morten in the adjacent streets.
To get to Villa Sentosa, take a taxi, or walk from the Town Square north on Jalan Laksamana, then bear left at Jalan Bunga Raya. At the bend in the river, take the river path to the footbridge at GPS: N02°12.184’, E102°15.107’ Cross the bridge, turn to your left, and you’re at the house, entrance at GPS: N02°12.190’, E102°15.079’
3) Stadthuys History and Ethnography Museum Town Square Open: Saturday through Thursday, 9 am – 5:30 pm; Friday 9 am – 12:15pm, 2:45 – 5:30 pm GPS: N02°11.636’, E102°14.924’ The best exhibits at the Stadthuys concern the ethnography of the city’s various ethnic groups. Of particular interest was the exhibit on the kriss (the serpentine Malay knife), which details the 24 Malay words used to describe points along the kriss, and an additional five to describe the sheath. Built between 1641 and 1660, the maroon Stadthuys is believed to be the oldest Dutch building in the Far East.
Your ticket includes the entrance to four adjacent museums, Admiral Chen Ho’s Gallery, the Literature Museum, the Governor’s Museum, and the Democratic Government Museum, none of which will have much appeal for the Western visitor.
Other museums in Malacca
The following three museums are all located within a few meters of each other, on Jalan Parameswara, around the corner from Town Square
1) Architecture Museum of Malaysia Open 9 am – 5 pm daily GPS: N02°11.571’, E102°14.901’ Architectural models describe varying elements of buildings in and around Malaka
2) Malacca Islamic Museum GPS: N02°11.536’, E102°14.911’ Describes the contributions made to Malacca by the Islamic community
3) Muzium Rakyat Open daily, 9 am – 5 pm GPS: N02°11.489’, E102°14.950’ Although visitors mainly come to see the ‘Museum of Enduring Beauty’ exhibit, which features piercings, tattoos, and other body mods, we’d recommend the display on Malaysian kites on the first floor, and the wonderful Malaysian spinning tops on the ground floor.
Muzium Budaya Cheng Ho (Cheng Ho Historical Museum) Open daily, 9 am – 6 pm Just across the river on Lorong Hang Jebat street contains models, wax figures and texts relating to Ming Dynasty Admiral Cheng Ho.
Historical buildings in Malacca
There are many, but here are three not to be missed...
St. Paul’s Church, above Town Square on Bukit St. Paul hill: now in ruins, it was built in 1521, and is in a beautiful setting with nice views of the town. It’s a five-minute walk from Town square at GPS: N02°11.561’, E102°14.956’
Christ Church, Town Square: built in 1753 from bricks imported from Holland
Cheng Hoon Temple, in Chinatown: the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia was founded in 1646. It has beautiful ceramic roof designs, and a splendidly decorative interior. Located on Jalan Tokong street, which runs one block parallel to Jonkers Street (Jalan Hang Jebat)
