Sabah State Museum
Sabah State Museum
4
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
664 reviews
Excellent
150
Very good
299
Average
178
Poor
30
Terrible
7
soomark1
UK113 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
Had an enjoyable and informative visit to this museum which gave a good insight into history and fauna of Sabah. They do not accept cashless card payment for entry and will suggests you buy something from the adjacent museum shop which will enable entrance. We were unable to get a signal outside on my husband's mobile in order to get a Grab taxi for our retun so had to seek assistance from a kind stranger. The museum complex stands alone so this could have been very awkward.
Written 28 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
porkrib
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam211 contributions
Dec 2022 • Family
This is a huge compound of outdoor and indoor exhibitions. You will pass through a large guarded gate; just tell the security guard that you are going to the museum. Parking is easy. The ticket is a one day pass to a few museums in Sabah. Suggest to give yourselves 3 hrs in here, and start with the outdoor exhibitions when your energy level is high. We started in late morning and were too hungry to continue after 2 hrs.
Ticket counter is outside/in front of the museum building. Rm2 per pax, one day pass. We started with browsing the indoor displays. It isn't a large building however sufficient to learn about the history and culture of Malaysia, and the wildlife in Sabah. We spent 1 hour-ish browsing the indoor displays. They were well maintained.
We only managed to visit two outdoor exhibits: the locomotive gallery and heritage village. The heritage village could be better maintained, although still a good exhibit.
Ticket counter is outside/in front of the museum building. Rm2 per pax, one day pass. We started with browsing the indoor displays. It isn't a large building however sufficient to learn about the history and culture of Malaysia, and the wildlife in Sabah. We spent 1 hour-ish browsing the indoor displays. They were well maintained.
We only managed to visit two outdoor exhibits: the locomotive gallery and heritage village. The heritage village could be better maintained, although still a good exhibit.
Written 17 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan L
Bunbury, Australia9,018 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Shore excursions limit the extent of a visit to most attractions and our visit to the museum was no exception. We saw a good sample of exhibits on display on the different levels of the main building, all representative of Sabah's cultural, social and history. The dominant exhibit is the 18.6m skeleton of a Bryde’s Whale that stranded at the beach of Gaya Island in 2006; its the biggest whale skeleton exhibited in Malaysia according to The Malaysia Book of Records, as recorded on the signage. The building is unusual, the design apparently inspired by a traditional Rungus Longhouse. Happy we visited but needed more time to really appreciated the exhibits.
Written 22 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kazza_union
66 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
This museum was a diamond in the rough. Go there with the right attitude, keeping expectations low, and you will be pleasantly surprised. We read quite a few reviews about unfriendly staff etc but we were treated with promptness and professionalism. Will admit the displays could have a better running theme but there were some informative exhibits. We’re birders and found the fauna display quite fascinating. It did get a little stuffy from inconsistent air conditioning inside. The gift store was actually well-stocked with good selection of books surprisingly. Two buskers (guitarist and flautist) were playing a selection of jazz and other pieces… we thought they were great! Easy enough to get a Grab there and back to town again
Written 4 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helmaric
13 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
The outside heritage houses and the small railway museum are quite good, but the displays in the main hall are rather limited, especially the natural history section, which is surprising given the wealth of wildlife that Sabah has to offer. Quite a bit of space downstairs is devoted to paintings by a member of one of Malaysia’s ruling families - probably a sponsor as he’s about as good at painting as Charles III! The lighting is generally poor which makes the exhibit labels difficult to read. The whole museum could do with modernisation and better organisation, but I found the section on the history of Sabah very interesting. Several potentially fun interactive displays were off-limits because of Covid - probably a good thing in the case of the nose flute!
Written 2 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
undob0y
Philippines677 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
is three-story museum that showcases the history of Saba and Borneo. The exhibition is divided into 4 to 5 zones. It has a English captiond in each exhibition so a non-malay speaking people can go and visit the museum. It is open from 9 AM inclusive till 5 PM. For non-elation you need to pay 15 RM. There is a nice gift shop at the lobby with reasonable prices.
Written 13 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leonhkny
Hong Kong, China23,768 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
Sabah's main museum offers a concise (preliminary in many ways) overview of local history, culture and tradition. The compact exhibition shows a bit of everything from flora and fauna to different tribes in Borneo. The heritage village next to the main building showcases dwellings of different styles in Sabah. Well worth the 15 MYR admission.
Written 26 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
reemakaa
Damascus, Syria97 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
The museum displays some historic findings in Borneo peninsula and resembles all historic eras passed by Sabah. Quite and well organized place. Gift shop has good options for souvenirs' collectors.
Written 11 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ALEX CHIN
Singapore, Singapore2 contributions
Apr 2023
The Sabah State Museum is an interesting place to visit, but it falls short of my expectations. The museum has a decent collection of artifacts and exhibits, but some of them seem outdated and in need of renovation. Additionally, the displays are not well-organized, making it difficult to navigate through the museum. The museum also lacks interactive exhibits and hands-on activities, which would make the experience more engaging and educational. However, the staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and they do their best to answer any questions. Overall, while the museum is worth a visit, there is definitely room for improvement
Written 3 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rebeccalw21
Stockport, UK321 contributions
Jan 2023
The museum had a lot of information about the various tribes of Sabah, complete with tribe outfits and tools. The museum also had a good natural history section. Overall, the information is good but I would prefer if it was a bit more interactive. The decor as gift shop was also quite dated, but this is probably a result of no business from COVID for a while. A cafe and WiFi would be good to add.
Written 9 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The charge is RM 15 for all non Malaysian citizens. The reduced rate for children only applies to Malasian citizens.
Written 3 July 2018
No, it doesn't. I went wearing shorts and a shirt.
Written 24 February 2018
how long do you normally need to explore the whole museum including the gallery, garden and zoo? asap pls 😬 thxx
Written 16 August 2017
It all depends on what interests you! I personally thin 2hours is a good amount of time to enjoy both. It is also worth checking the rain - if its raining see the museum first, if its not raining take it the other way around! Also, if you have children the zoo and gardens may be better to see first and see what energy levels are like for the museum -whatever , just go and enjoy yourself.
Written 16 August 2017
Is the museum open on Sunday? If so, what are the hours?
Written 13 February 2017
Hi .. This is from the official website:
Opening Hours
Daily from 9.00am till 5.00pm
Getting There
By bus, take the No.13 (towards Penampang) from either bus stations in front of City Hall or Wawasan Plaza in KK and indicate your stop to the driver. You will have to walk up to the main building. Bus fare is RM1.00.
By taxi, the fare is approximately RM12 to 15.00 for up to 4 persons.
Admission Fee
My-Kad - RM2.00
Others - RM15.00
Written 14 February 2017
I took a bus from the bus station in front of Marina Court. Not sure the number but the same way to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The driver/conductor should know when u say Sabah Museum and will drop you right at the corner near the back entrance. Fee is RM15 for foreigners. The cultural village in the area is much nicer
Written 9 August 2016
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