Type
Invited Tender
Programme
Museum Masterplan, Exhibition Design, Lighting Design, Visual Communications, Creative Direction for Interactives
Location
Look@118, Merdeka 118 precinct, Kuala Lumpur
Client
PNB
Timeline
06/2021 – 08/2026
Area
- 2,065 sqm (Total)
- 1,352 sqm (Galleries)
Design partner
Studio Bikin (Public Spaces, Retail, Textile Resource Centre)
Consultants
Turner (PM), Sunway University (Multimedia), KTA Tenaga (M&E), JUBM (QS)
Contractors
PICO (Main Contractor), Trika (Showcases), Padi Gallery (Mount-maker)
Team
Yann Follain, Tracy Tan
(Design Phases – Past: Ruth Wong, Catherine Ng, Lee Zeming)
Unravelling the Malay World through threads and tales
The new Merdeka Textile Museum is designed to become an evolving cultural repository. Home to the textile collection of the late Azah Aziz, the interpretive plan focuses on unravelling its rich tapestry and influence on Malay cultural identity. Each gallery is treated as a narrative chapter, and accordingly, displays, showcases, plinths, coves and recesses are designed to choreograph a deeper spatial storytelling. Digital media, traditional musical arrangements and recorded craft processes – they are practised as a form of living heritage, alongside hands-on workshops and analogue activities. Combined with the archival collection, they showcase the profound influence the Malay textile history has on communities, culture and future ambitions. Materiality, tactile elements such as everyday raw materials or batik blocks, brings each storyline closer across the galleries. They provide the necessary balance beyond the visual, but contribute to weaving a cohesive scenography through the activation of the five senses.
STAY TUNED FOR FULL PROJECT INFORMATION
MEDIA FEATURES
Merdeka Textile Museum: Anchoring a World-Class Precinct on Malaysian Heritage
The Merdeka 118 Precinct is taking shape as more than a new destination in Kuala Lumpur. At its heart is a world-class precinct anchored on Malaysian heritage, bringing together culture, commerce, retail, hospitality and tourism within one destination.
Kuala Lumpur looks set to enter its “museum moment” this year
As traditional attire such as batik and kebaya continues to thrive in everyday wear, the Merdeka Textile Museum arrives as a timely addition, extending appreciation of its cultural journey.
Located within the Merdeka 118 building, the museum, helmed by project manager Suryani Senja Alias, is set to open in late August and is billed as Asia’s first state-of-the-art textile museum, adopting an immersive curatorial approach.
Merdeka Textile Museum opens at Merdeka 118 Precinct
HER Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, launched the Merdeka Textile Museum (MTM) on Aug 21 at Look at 118, in the Merdeka 118 Precinct compound in Kuala Lumpur, opening a new chapter in the preservation and appreciation of the Malay World’s rich textile heritage.
In a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s official Facebook page, Her Majesty expressed hope that the museum would become a place where people could learn, explore and find inspiration.
Queen launches Merdeka Textile Museum
The museum was opened by PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), with the aim of preserving and celebrating the textile heritage of the Malay world through in-depth storytelling and interactive cultural experiences.
The Queen decreed that every country has a heritage that needs to be appreciated, preserved, and passed down to the next generation.
Raja Permaisuri Agong rasmi Muzium Tekstil Merdeka
Sementara itu, Raja Tan Sri Arshad berkata koleksi peribadi tokoh budaya dan warisan seni negara, Allahyarham Azah Aziz, menjadi antara tarikan utama MTM, merangkumi 240 helai busana dan 69 barangan perhiasan tradisional seperti sarung songket, baju kurung limar dan tekat emas.
Merdeka Textile Museum in KL set to unveil Malaysia’s textile heritage on Oct 1
The Merdeka Textile Museum, a key cultural destination within Kuala Lumpur's brand-new Merdeka 118 Precinct, will open to the public on Oct 1.
Through the Puan Azah Aziz Collection, the museum will showcase Malaysia's rich heritage, craftsmanship, and cultural traditions through its diverse textile collection.
Museums must evolve as spaces for Learning, Heritage Preservation – Aaron
National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the Merdeka Textile Museum (MTM) at Merdeka 118 here was among institutions showcasing Malaysia's textile heritage through a contemporary and interactive approach.
Bringing Life to Museums with Technology
"It will be the first textile museum that also tells the story of Malay world textiles through Malay classical literature.
The significance of the exhibit is to create conversations about how creativity with technology can continue to develop our traditional idea of and approach to textiles."
