Royal Abu Bakar Museum|Interesting Places In Johor|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Located within the palace grounds, the Royal Abu Bakar Museum is easily accessible from Jalan Air Molek and Jalan Ibrahim. The museum occupies the Istana Besar (Grand Palace) which was specially commissioned in 1864 by the Father of Modern Johor, Sultan Abu Bakar. Completed in 1866, the Grand Palace incorporated some of the Sultan's creative ideas in its architecture.

In the early 1990s, Johor's present ruler, His Majesty Sultan Iskandar, decided that members of the public should be given the opportunity to view the Royal Family's collection in a proper museum setting. His Majesty consented for the Grand Palace to be converted into a museum but concurrently it still serves the traditional royal and state ceremonial functions. Sultan Iskandar officially declared the museum open on May 11, 1990.

Housed within the museum are vast arrays of treasures, works of art, antiquities and furniture belonging to the Royal Family. The picture gallery features past and present rulers of the Sultanate and their consorts. There is also a large collection of their personal memorabilia, an impressive array of Orders, Decorations and Medals in the gallery. Other rooms within the Grand Palace display silverware, crystalware, gold and silver jewelry, priceless vases, furniture, traditional Malay weapons, the State Regalia, a numismatic collection, silver trophies and other family treasures within their natural setting.