Kinta Tin Mining (Gravel Pump) Museum

Kinta Tin Mining Museum

Lot 126026, Jalan Batu Karang

Taman Bandar Baru

31900 Kampar

Perak Darul Ridzwan

Operating Hours

Monday to Friday : 0900 - 1300

Saturday, Sunday & Public holidays : 0900 - 1600

Entrance Fee

FREE

You can find the museum easily using Google Map. There is no dedicated parking spots for the museum but there is a parking area for a supermarket and a mamak restaurant just next door. It was convenient for us because some in our party didn't want to go in. So they waited at the mamak restaurant while we went exploring and later, we had breakfast there together.

A guard handed me tickets even though there is no entrance fee. I guess it's how they record number of visitors. 

As I was exploring the museum's ground, I realised that if we had this museum back when I was in school, learning about tin mining wouldn't have been so dull! Teachers should totally take their students here for school trip. This museum is full of artefacts and displays that could help students to better understand what it was like back in the mining days.

Some heavy machine for tin mining

Palong- remember?

Gravel water pump

Tai chi... Idk :p

Inside the main building

They could use some maintenance

Pretty diorama. Interactive too but some are in need of repair

More diorama

Not diorama. View from upstairs

The "trees" in the picture above aren't just for decoration. They are fossils. Check out their story at a corner situated in the top left part of the picture above.

Anyway, the area upstairs is full of documents on minings. Pretty boring to most people but quite informative if you know what to look for.

Kinta Tin Mining Museum may be small and in need of some maintenance but it is still worth a visit if you happen to be in the area.

I spent about an hour here. There is no wheelchair access for the mining documents gallery upstairs but the rest of the museum should be easily accessible. There is a small shop selling ice cream and drinks and there are toilets (but they didn't flush when I checked).

Sungai Lembing Museum

Sungai Lembing Museum

Jalan Museum

Sungai Lembing

26200 Kuantan

Pahang Darul Makmur

Operating Hours

0900 - 1700 daily

Closed on first day of Eid ul Fitr/Adha

This museum is situated on a hill. No public vehicle is allowed to go up to the museum. There is a small parking area just outside the museum's gate.

The ticket office is at the foot of the hill, near the entrance. Next to the ticket office are the souvenir shop and washroom. I dropped by the souvenir shop and I must say that I was impressed with their offerings. A lot better than most museums I've visited.

***

Admission Fee(s)

Adult - RM2

Senior Citizen/Disabled - RM1

Child - Free

Foreigners

Adult - RM5

Child - RM2

Considering the museum's location, I thought it must be some angmoh tin mine manager's bungalow or police station. It turned out to be the former and also the place for His Majesty, Sultan Abu Bakar Riayatuddin Muadzam Shah (4th Ruler of Pahang) to stay while visiting in Sungai Lembing.

Personally, I think that the museum is managed fairly well. The information on tin mining and other relevant topics are well-presented in many forms of media and style. They have diorama, video presentation, photos and graphs along with the many artefacts on display. My only comment would be on the layout. The flow should be improved. I had trouble finding some galleries because they were outside the main hall.  

Go out of the 'house' to find more galleries before going upstairs

Impressive full scale diorama of tin mine and video presentation

Mining Machines Collection

Upstairs 'Living Room' - video on Sungai Lembing

Master bedroom 

Overall, plan to spend about 2 to 3 hours in this museum. However, I do not recommend taking the elderly and disabled for a visit due to various inconvenient museum settings.

Tai Pei Tong, Sungai Lembing

Lombong Bijih Timah Bawah Tanah

Sungai Lembing

Tai Pei Tong

Operating Hours

0900 - 1800 daily (break at 1300 to 1400)

Admission Fee(s)

Adult with MyKad - RM15.90

Child with MyKid - RM7.95

Foreigners

Adult - RM31.80

Child - RM15.90

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The Sungai Lembing Tin Mines was reopened so visitors could explore and experience a part of the deepest and longest underground mine in the world. It is located up on a hill right next to the Sungai Lembing Museum.

Wait for the train here

After a short and very noisy ride, we walked down the tunnel to continue our exploration. 

There are lit boards with many interesting information on Sungai Lembing and mining on the wall for you to learn. They helped to provide some context on the ground you're exploring. Then there are interactive exhibitions and mannequins showcasing various activities in a tin mines.

One tunnel led to an area with a screen to show videos on Legend of the Million Dollar Chamber and The Tin Mining Story. Visitors may choose English or Malay language. 

During my visit, we reached a dark tunnel just after an interactive display. Other tunnels have metal bar or 'No Entry' signages. So a bunch of us went ahead using light from our phones. It turned out that there were more to see down the really dark tunnel.

 When we returned, I asked a staff at the entrance and he thought that there must be a power trip and reassured us that we were not trespassing. He immediately asked some crew to check and restore the power.

 So, bring a torch or phone with light just in case. And stay calm.

Prayer room

Exit is located near the spot where the train stopped. Outside, there are outdoor exhibitions but a couple areas near the front gate looked abandoned. 

Expect to spend less than an hour here. Maybe two if visiting during school holidays.

Kompleks Muzium Negeri Terengganu

Terengganu State Museum Complex

Bukit Losong,

20566 Kuala Terengganu

Terengganu

(+609) 622 1444

Operating Hours

Saturday to Thursday : 0900 - 1700

Friday : 0900 - 1200, 1500 - 1700

Closed on first and second day of Eid Fitr & Eid Adha

Entrance Fee(s)

Local

Adult : RM5

Children : RM2

Foreigner

Adult : RM15

Children : RM10

Note: I'm not too happy about the different pricing for locals vs foreigners but I like that the ticket is actually a postcard! Not the prettiest design but it's better than typical paper ticket stubs that will get thrown away.

As the name suggested, the museum is situated in a complex. It's big and you'll have to walk quite a bit to explore the whole place. The main building and its many galleries is big enough to tire you so come early, bring water and wear comfortable shoes.

Lockers are available near the entrance should you want to keep your valuables.

There is no correct way to explore the museum and the whole complex. Exhibits are all over the place and you might as well stop and see what ever you passed. There is a tram station near parking area but it wasn't operating on my visit. There is also an outdoor exhibition nearby, just opposite the Herb Garden. 

Vehicles

After seeing the cars and plane, I walked past the pretty garden and up the magnificent stairs of the main building to find the ticket booth. 

There are several galleries and halls in the main building. Some of the halls will showcase different exhibition at different time. During my visit, it was a ceramic exhibition. The long-term galleries are:

• Textile Gallery
• Royal Gallery
• Islamic Gallery
• Craft Gallery
• Petronas Gallery
• History Gallery

then there are other galleries that are situated away from the main building like the Seafaring & Trade Gallery and the Fisheries and Marine Park Gallery. They should really install some drinks vending machines over at those galleries.

Batu Bersurat Terengganu

Guess what?

Art Gallery (I think this is temporary exhibition) below Islamic Gallery

Tram looking all pretty but unused

Signage to Tengku Long's Palace, different type of traditional houses, galleries and jetty

Technically, you can take a boat to get here. But the jetty looked... abandoned. 

One of the traditional houses in the complex

Outdoor exhibition near the Fisheries & Marine Park Gallery

Real life boat

Real life boat 2

I was curious but scared to actually step on the boat. Not too confident with maintenance. Plus the boats were on land and I can't swim on land. There was no sign forbidding entry so if you're interested, board at your own risk!

Overall, I like the Terengganu State Museum. It is one of the better curated ones in Malaysia but it certainly could use a little more TLC. The complex already have all the infrastructures, the museum itself is a gorgeous architectural wonder, all they have to do is to take care of it.

Natural History (?) Gallery closed for maintenance

My best friend in the Seafaring Gallery

View from jetty

To properly enjoy the museum complex, I suggest you come bright and early and plan to stay for half a day. Bring drinking water (a must!) or a picnic if you wish. Just make sure you dispose your trash properly.