Penang War Museum

Penang War Museum in Bukit Batu Maung is a fort built by the British in the 1930s. It later on gained significance when it became the site where the battle for Penang against the invading Japanese army was lost in the year 1941. It is now a museum opened to the public and is listed as Southeast Asia’s largest war museum.

Situated on the road to Teluk Kumbar on Penang’s southern coast, the fort was initially supposed to be a preserved citadel constructed as part of a plan to protect the island from foreign invasion. After its completion, it was initially manned by British, Sikh and Malay soldiers.

Unfortunately the bastion fell during World War Two upon the launching of a series of attack against it from in land by the Japanese army, which took the British by surprise as they were prepared for attacks from the sea instead.

From that day onwards (17 December 1941) the Japanese commandeered the stronghold and the army base became chequered with a dark past. It was used as a prison base for acts of torture and other cruelties; as a result of these war atrocities, the garrison was dubbed ‘Bukit Hantu’ (Ghost Hill) by locals due to the hundreds of people who were brought here and beheaded.

The Penang War Museum was restored as a memorial to its dark days and opened to the public in 2002. Interesting fact: the 20-acre museum houses historical artefacts such as cannons and even features underground military tunnels and ammunition bunkers which are located nine metres underground. Some of these tunnels lead all the way to the sea as they once served as access routes to get to submarines. Navigating through these passageways sometimes forces one to walk or even crawl through very narrow, confined spaces.

Additionally, you can also tour the barracks, cookhouses, gun emplacements and other structures in the eerie and vast Penang War Museum as there are plenty of signposts to guide your way.

Entry Fee:

Malaysians - Adult RM15 | Child (5 - 12 years) RM7.50
Foreigners / Tourists - Adult RM30 | Child (5 - 12 years) RM15

(Prices are subject to change)

Map: