Orang Asli Crafts Museum

Set within the National Museum grounds on Jalan Damansara, the Orang Asli Crafts Museum introduces the crafts and cultural life of Peninsular Malaysia’s Indigenous communities. Its compact displays bring together beadwork, woven pieces, wood carvings, masks, tools and musical instruments, with panels explaining their links to different Orang Asli groups and traditions. Look for the carved figures and the Wayang Kulit shadow-puppet display. It is an easy addition after the National Museum, though the small exhibition space makes this a shorter stop.

Crafts and cultural context

The Orang Asli Crafts Museum is a dedicated museum in the grounds of the National Museum, also known as Muzium Negara. Its displays focus on the Indigenous Orang Asli communities of Peninsular Malaysia, including their crafts, beliefs and ways of life.

Objects on view include beadwork, woven textiles, wood carvings, tools, weapons and musical instruments. Panels give context about the communities represented and explain how craft is connected to cultural practices and daily life. The collection also touches on hunting, fishing, clothing, music and traditions surrounding death.

Carved figures and shadow puppetry

Look for the carved masks and figurines, as well as the Wayang Kulit display. In this form of theatre, carved figures are lit so their shadows appear on a screen, while a Tok Dalang, or puppet master, performs the story. Musical instruments accompany the performance.

The museum is small, with a focused exhibition space. If you want a broader museum visit, combine it with the National Museum and the Malay World Ethnography Museum next door. The Crafts Museum has a separate ticket from the National Museum entrance, and its ticket also gives access to the Malay World Ethnography Museum.