History & Ethnography Museums Complex

Top choice in Melaka City


The ground floor of the Stadthuys houses Melaka's most interesting museum, which focuses on the city's fascinating history and ethnography. Exhibits include a recreation of a rumak Melaka (traditional Melekan house), dioramas of cultural ceremonies and displays of traditional costumes and music. Upstairs the Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery displays a collection of paintings depicting scenes from the colonial era.

One admission ticket gives access to this and all other museums in the complex: the 17th-century Governor's Museum (where the Chief Ministers of Melaka lived); the Democratic Government Museum, with informative displays on the anti-colonial movement, Independence and the Japanese Occupation; a Literature Museum focusing on Melaka's role in the development of Malaysian literature; and an Education Museum.

Free guided tours of the main museum take place at 10.30am and 2.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Melaka City attractions

1. Stadthuys

0.01 MILES

This former town hall and governor's residence dates to the 1650s and is believed to be the oldest Dutch building in the East. It functioned as State…

2. Dutch Square

0.04 MILES

The focal point of the Unesco Heritage zone, this attractive and elegant square is surrounded by Dutch-era buildings that have been painted crimson, shady…

3. Christ Church

0.05 MILES

Built in 1753 from laterite bricks brought from Zeeland in Holland, this eye-catching cherry-pink church is one of the most photographed and imposing…

4. Melaka Malay Sultanate Water Wheel

0.06 MILES

In 2006, work on the Menara Taming Sari revolving tower uncovered another part of the city's fortress walls. The revolving tower was relocated further…

5. Zheng He Duo Yun Xuan

0.08 MILES

A Shanghai-based auction house has funded this impressive gallery split between two large converted warehouses facing the Melaka River and entered from…

6. Cheng Ho Cultural Museum

0.1 MILES

The impressive exploits of Chinese-Muslim seafarer Cheng Ho (Zheng He) are celebrated through this museum's dioramas and maritime miscellany. The Ming…

7. 8 Heeren Street

0.11 MILES

This 18th-century, Dutch-period residential house was restored as a model conservation project. A guide is on hand to explain the features and history…

8. St Paul's Church

0.11 MILES

The evocative and sublime ruin of St Paul's Church crowns the summit of Bukit St Paul overlooking central Melaka. Steep stairs from Jln Kota or Jln Chang…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "malaysia/melaka-city/attractions/history-ethnography-museums-complex/a/poi-sig/1152676/1324280",
      "destination": "Melaka-City",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "Malaysia",
      "city": "Melaka-City",
      "position": "superzone"
    }