Exploring Malaysia 
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Masjid Jamek (Jamek Mosque)
Founded in 1909, Masjid Jamek is situated at the confluence of the historically significant Gombak and Klang rivers. Designed by A.B. Hubbock, the mosque typifies North Indian Islamic architecture at its finest. It has three domes surmounting the prayer hall with a 21.3m high central dome. At the cornersare two red and white striped minarets26.8m high. Its entrance is at Jalan Tun Perak and is a must-visit for heritage building lovers.
Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex
Located at Jalan Conlay, this one-stop craft centre offers visitors a unique variety of craft-related activities and programmes and is a treasure trove of exciting souvenirs and unique handcrafts. The colourful array encompasses batik, songket, embroidery, beads, carvings, pottery baskets, pewter and brassware. The adjacent Craft Museum displays a variety of textile, ceramic, metal craft and weaved products. You can even produce your own batik here or see artists create their own masterpieces in the Artist Colony. Among the processes you can see here are pottery making, wood carving, silver-smiths, songket weaving, batik printing and boat making.
Muzium Telekom (Telekom Malaysia Museum)
Located at Jalan Raja Chulan, the museum is housed in a beautiful building of Greek architecture. It is divided into two sections: the historical and the modern galleries. The former displays some of the earliest telephonic equipment while the latter showcases current technologies and the future of telecommunications. Interactive displays with touch screen monitors provide an interesting and educational experience.
Biomedical Museum
The Institute of Medical Research (IMR) was founded in 1900 as the Pathological Institute and has a long and illustrious history of conducting innovative biomedical research. The museum houses several unique items that would satisfy even the most jaded of visitors. These include bygone laboratory equipment and various pathological specimens. It also showcases some of the oldest and best collections of both dry specimens of small mammals and wet, preserved specimens of reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. The museum is located next to Hospital Kuala Lumpur at Jalan Pahang.
Islamic Arts Museum
The Islamic Arts Museum located in Jln Lembah Perdana is a spacious, dazzling white building with Islamic architectural features. It houses an extensive collection of muslim treasures which include an impressive collection of Islamic texts, manuscripts, porcelain, objects d’art, weapons and Chinese Muslim calligraphy. Replicas of famous mosques in the world are among its main attractions.
Museum of Asian Arts
Set up in 1973, the museum is situated in the campus grounds of University Malaya, one of the most illustrious institutions of higher learning. Exhibits displayed here are local and Asian art objects comprising sculptures, textiles, woodcarvings and ceramics of Islamic and Malay origin.
Royal Selangor Pewter
Visitors to Malaysia should not miss the opportunity to visit the Royal Selangor pewter factory in Kuala Lumpur. What began as a cottage industry in 1885 has now become one of Malaysia’s most famous exports and visitors now have the chance to experience this industry first-hand.
Located in Setapak, just 20 minutes from the Kuala Lumpur city centre, the Royal Selangor Visitor Centre is an award-winning destination which offers a fun and an educational visit.
Apart from learning about the history of tin and pewter through interactive exhibits and seeing how pewter is made at the factory, visitors can also enrol in the ‘School of Hard Knocks’ pewtersmithing workshop where they can create their own one-off masterpieces in pewter with a certificate of authentication. A nominal fee is charged.
Jalan Chow Kit
Along Jalan Chow Kit which in the past was the shopping haven of the city you cannot help but be mesmerised by the cacophony of sights and sounds with a thriving wet market, food stalls and places of worship all crammed within a compact, vibrant area.
The famous Chow Kit wet Market, a labyrinth of stalls that sell vegetables, meats, seafood and fruits, is predominantly occupied by Malay traders. Malay rock music blasts from amplifiers of CD retailers; the shouts of traders fill the air; housewives bustle about with baskets on their arms, and hungry customers feast on local delicacies. An experience not to be missed!
Jalan Masjid India
KL’s Little India, where everything Indian from saris, cheroots, bangles, earthenware pots and jasmine garlands and spicy Indian restaurants can be found in abundance is along Jalan Masjid India. This is also the place to take in blaring Indian music and songs, and eateries and hawkers peddling typical North and South Indian delicacies. These days it is also dominated by Malay traders trading in local and Indonesian garments, medicines and other popular items.
Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Every Saturday evening, this lane is transformed into a pedestrian mall with stalls selling plastic products, leather goods, kitchenware, handicrafts and snacks. Blind buskers and traditional medicine peddlers are also part of the attraction here.
Petaling Street (Chinatown)
A must for everyone visiting KL is KL’s Chinatown, known as Chee Cheong Kai in Chinese. Famous for grilled fish, roasted duck and porridge, the street bustle with activity every evening when countless stalls do roaring trade in cheap ‘genuine’ imitation clothes, sunglasses, watches, shoes and fruits. During the day, Petaling Street is more sober as Chinese pharmacies dispense traditional Chinese medication while other retailers offer dried salted fish, Chinese tea leaves, Taoist deities, textiles, Chinese earthenware and rattan crafts and caskets.
Chinese Culture Street
The centre of Chinese culture, Jalan Raja Balai Polis is home to everything oriental - old and new - like music, teahouses that serve the beverage in dainty chinese teapots and cups, restaurants that spill out onto the roadway at night serving great Chinese food and Chinese bookstores with a wide range of offerings.
Central Market
This former wet market is a must-visit for souvenir hunters. Countless stalls occupy this two-storey building of Art Deco architecture. They offer antiques and trinkets, glass figurines, key rings, sunglasses and local delicacies. Central Market is constantly filled with activities with artists sketching portraits, fortune-tellers shuffling tarot cards, craftsmen etching on copper and women weaving baskets from Pandanus leaves as regular cultural performances. It is located at Jalan Hang Lekir.
Chan See Shu Yuen Temple
At the Southern end of Petaling Street is the Chan See Shu Yuen Temple, which is adorned with paintings of dragons, deities and ceramic sculptures of mythical creatures. It was built in 1906.
Thean Hou Temple
Nestled on a hill off Jalan Syed Putra, the Thean Hou Temple is a picturesque Chinese temple with impressive architecture. It is a popular backdrop for wedding photographs and film shootings. Souvenir stalls and a vegetarian restaurant are housed in the complex. An excellent view of the city can be enjoyed from the pagoda.
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
This Hindu temple ranks as one of the most ornate in the country with intricate images of Hindu deities adorning the gate tower, while Italian and Spanish tiles adorn the floor and walls. A silver chariot that is paraded during Thaipusam is kept in a building next to the temple. Inside, the status of Lord Subramaniam stands, embellished with precious stones.
National Art Galerry
Located at Jalan Temerloh the National Art Gallery stands on a 5.67ha site next to the Istana Budaya and the National Library. The architecture of the gallery is unique incorporating traditional Malay and contemporary design. The gallery houses a creative centre, a sculpture garden, a library, art restoration space, photography and graphic studios, an auditorium and a bookshop.
Istana Budaya
Istana Budaya, the National Theatre along Jalan Tun Razak frequently features musical, cultural and dance performances by both local and foreign artistes. The architectural design of the theatre is based on Malay culture with the base taking the shape of a floating traditional Malay kite and the layout of the building following the pattern of a typical Malay house. Istana Budaya also has four adjustable stages, which are suitable for staging performances in various forms. The theatre can accommodate 1,469 persons. Istana Budaya is considered by many to be at par with the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Istana Negara
The majestic Istana Negara which dominates Jalan Istana is the official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (His Majesty the King of Malaysia). While the palace, is itself is not open to the public visitors can call on the unwavering, handsomely dressed guards who stand guard at the palace’s main gate.
Geleri Petronas
Galeri Petronas is a modern, contemporary art gallery situated at Level 3, Suria KLCC, Malaysia’s premier shopping destination in PETRONAS Twin Towers. Galeri Petronas was established in 1993 by PETRONAS, Malaysia’s national oil company, to support the development of arts in Malaysia, by providing a versatile, world-class art gallery for Malaysian and foreign artists to display their works. With numerous local and international exhibitions, Galeri Petronas aims to make art accessible, enjoyable and engaging to the public and will continue to enthral audiences with exciting exhibitions and public programmes. Galeri Petronas is open to the public from 10.00 am – 8.00pm everyday except Monday and admission is FREE.Come and engage your visual senses at Galeri Petronas, Level 3, Suria KLCC.
