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All the truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them
~ Galileo Galilei

Once upon a time, Penang or Pulau Pinang was known as 'Pulau Ka Satu'. 'Pulau' is literally translated as 'island' whilst 'Ka Satu' means 'only one' in Malaysian language. Hearsay, the name 'Ka Satu' was given by Ragam, a trader that frequented sailing from Linggi to Kedah as this was the only island visible during his sea journey. The name 'Pulau Ka Satu' was with the island until 18th century when British came by and it was then named Penang.

Recalling my past, I remember a couple of situations whereby the mainland residents like to call Penang as 'Tanjong'
especially among the elderly folks. This was attributed to a prominent plant growing in abundance at the north-east cape. The spot where Fort Cornwallis stands today is the exact location they were referring to. The plant is locally known as 'Penaga' (Mesua aff. assamica) and that cape was called 'Tanjong Penaga'. In short, these folks refer to the island as 'Tanjong'.

Oh dear! The above two paragraphs were just elaborating the old names of Penang. This piece of information was among the first fed to my mind as I walked into Penang Museum, right after the turnstile gate. Great, isn't it?

Apart from this, Penang Museum also exhibits the history of George Town as a melting pot whereby folks from various places came by to trade and some decided to stay in Penang and be one of us today! One of the wealthiest ethics in Penang was Arab and the most prominent figure was Syed Hussein Al-Aldid from Acheh. That explains the erection of historic Acheh Street Malays Mosque in the heart of George Town.

Well, that was not about it. The ground floor of Penang Museum will take you on a journey to the past to understand better the cultures, customs and livelihoods of three major ethics in Penang namely Malays, Chinese and Indian.

On the upper floor, visitors are able to witness a statue of Francis Light and his will written in old English. Besides, it
also showcases historic places in Penang for instance Penang harbour, UNESCO's Heritage Zone and the history of Penang museum itself. Pictures and write-ups on Penang Riot and Japanese Occupation are also shared.

There is a room whereby old paintings are displayed and a few are beautifully painted. One of them that I remember vividly is the image of 'Assam Glugor' (Garcinia atroviridis) plantation hill and that place is now called Bukit Glugor ('Bukit' means hill in Malaysian language). Similarly, this was how Bukit Gambier came about as I heard they were plenty growing on Gambier Hill.

I found history is always a discovery and at Penang Museum, I stumbled upon tales from long ago!

How to get there?
Click here for Google Map

Address:
Penang State Museum,
Farquhar Street,
George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Tel/Fax: +60-4-2613144
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Entrance Fee: RM1 (adult)
Opening hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm daily except Friday (it is closed)

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