Sarawak Museum Dept unveils exciting new acquisitions, upcoming exhibits

(From left) Sarawak Museum Department Director, Nancy Haji Jolhi, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Datuk Sebastian Ting, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Deputy Minister for Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Snowdan Lawan and Special Administrative Officer from Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datu Dr Rashidah binti Haji Bolhassan.

KUCHING, 18 June 2025: The Sarawak Heritage Council Meeting, held earlier today at Hilton Kuching, was chaired by the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who shared the strategic direction for heritage preservation and conservation in the state.

Last held on July 17, 2024, the SHC Meeting addresses key matters including heritage gazettement, museum collection, funding and other important updates. The Tourism Minister first shared the latest recorded number of visitors to the Borneo Cultures Museum, which was 117,095 people from January to June 16, 2025. Since its opening in 2022, the museum has welcomed a cumulative total of 1,354,275 visitors so far, attracting prominent figures, high-ranking officers, high commissioners, consulates and ambassadors from abroad. 

According to Abdul Karim, the Sarawak Museum Department has successfully gazetted 14 historical sites, buildings, monuments and underwater heritage under the Sarawak Heritage Ordinance, including Rumah Panjang Melanau Kampong Sok in Matu, Rumah Sri Tanjung in Tanjung Lobang, Miri, Sacred Heart Church in Sungai Bawan, Kanowit, Makam Dato Permaisuri in Miri, Pusara Ali Wallace in Kampung Jaie, Sadong Jaya, Kubur Shariff Skrang in Kampung Igan, Matu, Tapak Masjid Bandaraya Kuching, Tapak Pertempuran Beting Maro, Batu Brooke Coal Mine in Gunung Ngili, Simunjan, Batu Ritong in Pa’Lungan, Bario, Tapak Pertempuran Kampung Jangkar in Lundu, Tuang Schist Semeba in Kuching, Folded Schist Demak in Kuching and the Japanese Landing Craft in Brighton Beach, Miri. 

Dato Sri Abdul Karim checking out the 100-year-old parang recently acquired by the museum.

The guests of honour checking out the partial skeleton of the Triso Whale.

The Tourism Minister also shared that the Sarawak Museum Department will be participating in the 2025 national-level International Museum Day, which will be held in Kedah from July 23 to 29, 2025. The Sarawak Museum Department is also actively collaborating with the Sarawak Forestry Department on the Sarawak Delta Geopark Project, with preparations currently underway for the Field Evaluation Mission by UNESCO’s assessor panel, scheduled for June 23 to 26, 2025.

The Sarawak Museum Department will also be unveiling an exhibition on the Sun, titled Helios by Luke Jerram, who was responsible for previous exhibitions The Moon and Gaia, set to launch in November this year. Meanwhile, the department also shared the donation and acquisition of several new artefects, including a traditional goldsmithing tool set and machinery donated by Teo Keng Boon, grandson of esteemed goldsmith Teo Chai Seng, a couple of sunhats obtained during the formation of Malaysia in 1963, donated by John Lavery, an 100-year-old parang from Tebakang, Serian donated by Lewis ak Mengu, two unglazed ceramic vases from Santubong from Mohd Rizal bin Bujang and two 70-year-old copper pots donated by Surau Darul Falah.

Also recently donated, a traditional goldsmithing tool set and machinery set.

The two sunhats donated by John Lavery.

One of the copper pots donated by Surau Darul Falah.

One of the most notable new acquisitions of the department is the Triso Whale, a 13-metre Sei Whale which was initially found dead and drifting in the Pulau Seduku waters. Now part of the Museum’s zoology collection, it is the largest whale specimen ever obtained and holds significant value for research and exhibition.