Straits & Oriental Museum

Straits & Oriental Museum (21 February 2026)

The Straits & Oriental Museum (GPS: 5.41869, 100.340512) is a private museum within the George Town World Heritage Site. The museum occupies a 3-storey corner shophouse at the junction of Church Street and King Street.

The Straits & Oriental Museum is dedicated to celebrating the maritime and cultural history of the Straits of Malacca and the wider Asian region. It has a carefully curated collection displayed over three floors. It is especially known for its collection of Chinese export ceramics, including blue-and-white porcelain recovered from shipwrecks and historic trading vessels. These artifacts reflect the dynamic exchange of goods, art, and ideas between the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties and the bustling entrepôts of Southeast Asia. Visitors who are keen on regional history, especially that of ceramics and chinaware, can examine the bowls, plates, and tea wares that came out of China.

On the ground floor are exhibits representing the migration patterns, merchantile communities and the development of the Straits Settlements. The exhibits shows how Penang's multicultural identity integrates with global maritime history.

For collectors, historians and travelers alike, the Straits and Oriental Museum offers a glimpse into the China's legacy on the Maritime Silk Road and the goods traded and the wares that carried them.

Contact

Straits & Oriental Museum
7 & 9 King Street,
George Town, Penang.

Phone: +6012-208 0566
Email: info@somuseum.asia

Opening Hours

9:30 am to 6:00 pm

Videos of the Straits & Oriental Museum

Straits & Oriental Museum is on the Map of King Street, George Town, Penang

Present location: King Street

Straits & Oriental Museum (21 February 2026)

Cantonese opera head dress, Straits & Oriental Museum (21 February 2026)

Former location: Gurney Paragon

Straits & Oriental Museum, Gurney Paragon, Penang Glazed Chinese ceramics in Hall 1 of Straits & Oriental Museum. (1 December 2022)

Straits & Oriental Museum, Gurney Paragon, Penang Kraak porcelain vases at Straits & Oriental Museum. (1 December 2022)

Straits & Oriental Museum, Gurney Paragon, Penang Kamcheng and other Nyonya porcelain wares at Straits & Oriental Museum. (1 December 2022)

Straits & Oriental Museum, Gurney Paragon, Penang Jars salvaged from shipwrecks at Straits & Oriental Museum. (1 December 2022)

Page Details

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List of Museums in Penang and Museums in Malaysia