Alternative museums in Penang

The collection of murals here utilise shades and varying contours to add to their strength as well as props to create a real-life mind trickery for adults and kids alike.

You’ll be able to see around 200 cameras on display. Not only that, there’s dark room that will give you an inkling of now almost forgotten film processing procedure, an interactive camera obscura and pin-hole camera rooms and a large format camera room.

You’ll be fascinated to see the life of ultimate wealth through this museum’s display of 19th-century antiques, Peranakan furniture and old portraits that belonged to one of Penang’s richest trader, Yeap Chor Ee. It’s housed within a converted four-storey shophouse that was once home to the man himself.

The owners of this museum prefer to stay old school with a collection of 1,000 vintage cameras and accessories. Camera lovers can also sign up for its Photo School that provide hands-on teaching on the technique, aesthetics and conceptualisation skills of analogue and digital photography.

A place to go to if you're curious about the history and development of batik painting in Malaysia since 1950s. In this museum, there are 70 examples of the craft's evolution including Malaysian batik artist Chuah Thean Teng's early and current pieces.

It holds a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first glass museum in the country. All of their decorative glass artwork and exhibits are for sale.

High on a hill in Batu Maung, this museum is an old war fortress that was first built by the British in the 1930s and before the Japanese took over In 1945 as their army base and interrogation chamber. Its spacious area is constructed with stairs, halls and underground tunnels filled with war artefacts.

There are over 70,000 toys, dolls and collectibles on display here including a collection of demon baby Chucky toys, comic book characters, dinosaurs, monsters, Barbie dolls and action figures. There’s also Heritage Garden on its premises for a peek at various fruit trees and tropical greenery.

This is a museum that chronicles the triumphant career of Malaysia’s movie legend, the late Tan Sri P Ramlee. His personal collection on exhibit here includes his old violin, favourite shirts, old movie posters, typewriter and even his signature sunglasses. Adjacent is a replica of a Malay kampung house belonging to P Ramlee’s grandmother where he was born.

The pieces of jewellery displayed here meld Chinese, Malay and Indo-European form, design and motifs. Worn and loved by the Peranakan Chinese Nyonya women, they represent the heydays of Peranakan jewellery. Photography is not encouraged.