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Antanom Museum (Muzium Antanom Tenom)

Antanom Museum, the History of British Vs. Borneo Headhunters

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Tenom, nestled in the rustic interior of Sabah, serves as the terminus for Borneo’s railway, and is renowned for the beloved Tenom Coffee, a favorite among both Sabahans and tourists. Interestingly, both the coffee and the railway have roots dating back to the colonial era, introduced by the British over a century ago.

Padas River is the most important river of Tenom. It floods huge catchment area of 3,500 square miles and brings new layer of fertile alluvial soils after it recedes.

Before the British arrived, Tenom was merely a burial ground along a stream at Padas River, known to the Murut villagers as “Tanam.” Recognizing the fertility of the alluvial soil left by the river’s floods, the British “tanam” (means plant in Malay language, pun intended) some cash crops such as tobacco, rubber and coffee in the 1880s.

Left: Tenom during 1910. Right: Tanam, the burial ground of the Murut

Therefore, a heavy duty transport was badly needed to ferry tons of products from the interior to Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu City) about 150 Kilometres away, led to the completion of a 48-kilometer railway connecting Tenom to the coastal area’s main railway in 1905. However, improved accessibility triggered more conflicts between the white settlers and the Murut, former fearsome headhunters of Borneo, turning Tenom into one of Sabah’s most storied towns.

Old photograph of train terminal in Tenom

After you enjoy the popular Tenom dishes such as maize chicken and spring rolls, take a stroll through Tenom town. At the town center stands the Antanom Museum, named after Ontoros Antanom, the renowned Murut warrior. Functioning as a community museum, it features a small gallery showcasing the historical traces of the British, Murut, Chinese, and Japanese in Tenom.

Antanom Museum (Local Name: Muzium Antanom)

Established in 2009 on the grounds of a former European cemetery, the air-conditioned museum offers visitors a comfortable space to explore information and nostalgic photographs displayed on rows of exhibit panels. Most writings are accompanied by English translations.

Exhibition panels and gallery in the hall of Antanom Museum

While the size of the museum hall is less than that of a basketball court, a casual browse takes around 30 minutes. However, for those deeply interested in detailed exploration, it may extend beyond an hour. The museum exhibits fall into five main categories.

1) History of North Borneo Railway

Learn about the legacy of the British colony in Sabah through the prominent railway network. The first railway in North Borneo began in 1886 near Weston, serving as Sabah’s economic lifeline. In 1905, Tenom joined the backbone railway of the more prosperous west coast, facilitating the transport of agriculture products.

Pictures of North Borneo train stations and locomotive models in the past

For the next 60 years, this railway was the only mean of transport from the interior to the west coast. Loads after loads of tobacco, coffee, soy beans, fruits and rubber were able to be delivered from Tenom to the port of Jesselton. Because the natives were exposed to the civilized west, they learnt to use money and dress more decently.

2) Down Memory Lane Tenom

Discover the evolution of Tenom, officially named in 1906. Before that, it was known as Fort Birch, named after Governor E.W. Birch (1901-1904). Some believe that Tenom was used to be an ancient lake, then Padas River cut a gorge that drained away the water, leaving behind nutrient-rich and moist alluvial soil that is perfect for planting.

Exhibition on history of Tenom

In 18th century, British, German and Dutch planters developed Tenom as a farming district. In 1915, 5,000 Chinese and 5,000 Javanese were imported as labours to work there. It’s a huge number, consider the population of North Borneo population that time was only 70,000. During World War II, Japanese built a military HQ in Tenom in early 1944, with 30,000 Japanese billeted in the estate.

Some interesting photos of the past. From left: Christmas Party in 1930s, British managers, cinema in Sapong (1950s)

This section presents various aspects of Tenom’s history, covering people, landmarks, plantations, sports, festivals, old shoplots, and events.

3) Dark History of Headhunting

You want to be respected? You want a wife? If you were a Murut man more than 150 years ago, you must bring back the heads of the enemies to earn them. Before British government banned headhunting in 1883, owning many skulls was a status of bravery among Murut, who believed that by doing so, they would possess the power of the victims.

The headhunting section in Antanom Museum

However, many natives still practiced headhunting even after the ban. They went headhunting when they needed sacrifice for a new bridge, house, or farmland. It’s cool that this museum has good collection of the photos of headhunters with their “trophies”.

Old photos of Murut people proudly showing the skull like a trophy

The gallery also highlights mysterious landmarks associated with headhunting and displays headhunting weapons such as swords, blowpipes, and poison darts.

4) Ontoros Antanom and Rundum Uprising

Explore Tenom as the stronghold of Muruts, the third largest indigenous group in Sabah. They were enraged by the meddlesome British who stepped into their land and imposed all sorts of laws and taxes that they never heard of, just to list some, poll tax, tapai (wine) tax, forest clearance tax, headhunting ban, and forced labour. These regulations affected the cores of their culture and livelihood.

The story of Ontoros Antanom and Rundum Uprising 1915 is one of the most important chapters in Sabah history

Under the leadership of Ontoros Antanom, thousands of Murut warriors from different tribes were united and attacked the British office in Rundum in Feb 1915. The rebellion lasted about two months until Antanom was captured and executed on 17 April on the same year. Rundum Uprising is one of the biggest battles in Sabah history. Though Antanom lost, he is honoured as the hero of Sabah, and his legend is being told in this museum.

British force was facing about 2,000 Murut fighters like these in Rundum Uprising

5) Artifacts and Handicrafts

In the middle of the hall is a wooden platform called Sangiang, the seats for wedding couple of Murut Tahol. Though it is made of from tikalis wood bound with rattan vines, the price of sitting on it is exorbitant, as the groom would need to pay his debt throughout his lifetime. In addition to bride price, the man needs to pay for the week-long feast.

Sangiang, a wooden throne for the wedding couples of Murut

At a corner are some handicrafts and artifacts on display. Murut women are skillful in making handicrafts with intricate patterns and elaborative weaving from basic materials such as bamboo and rattan. Just spend some time to appreciate the basket, mats and hats they make. Intrigued by the headhunting stories? Check out the headhunting sword and blowpipe. The antique ceramic jar may look ordinary but it’s a highly priced heirloom in the past.

Some artifacts and handicrafts displayed in the glass cases

How to Get There

Antanom Museum is located in the town centre of Tenom (see Location Map) and highly accessible by asphalt road. It’s open from 9am to 5pm every day. The entrance is free.

Normal tourists would not notice Antanom Museum because the gate is closed and the signage wears out

Tel: (+60) 087-339126
E-mail: Muzium.Sabah@sabah.gov.my
Facebook: @muzium.sabah.1
Website: museum.sabah.gov.my

Photos taken in Tenom, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Pogunon Community Museum and the Secrets of the Dead

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In the year 2000, an unexpected discovery unfolded at Pogunon Village, nestled on the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu City, leaving the entire Sabah astounded. The unearthing of an ancient cemetery reignited the recollections of burial and megalithic cultures prevalent in Sabah.

Entrance to Pogunon Community Museum. The entry is free.

Standing on this hallowed ground, the Pogunon Community Museum (known as Muzium Komuniti Pogunon or Muzium Tapak Perkuburan Purba Pogunon in Malay) invites visitors to behold the burial jars and old graves, while delving into the haunting tales of headhunting and the revered Bobohizan, the high priestess of the Kadazan people, who once graced this site.

The exhibition hall of Pogunon Community Museum is about the size of a basketball court and has air-conditioning.

Pogunon is named after a native plant, Sorim Pogun. It also means “bekas yang ditinggalkan”, which is translated as “the traces left behind.” because in old days this village was in war, the villagers were ambushed and fled into forest, then came back next day.

Discovery of the Pogunon Cemetery

In January 2000, the construction of KEMAS Kindergarten building at Pogunon Village (or Kampung Pogunon) led to the finding of four burial jars (three of them are complete and have human bones in them), blue-and-white plates, and bowls. These ceramics originated from China between the 16th and 19th centuries.

Sabah Museum carried out excavations at Pogunon in 2000, 2007 and 2008 to rescue the buried heritages. (Photo Credit: Sabah Museum)

Further excavations conducted by Sabah Museum dug up thirteen ancient burial jars from an old graveyard in front of the St. Joseph Chapel in the same village. The lidded burial pots contain artifacts such as coins dating back to 1885, bangle, belt (himpogot) made from ancient silver coins, jewelry and decorated ceramics.

Ancient burial jars exhibited in Sabah Museum. The one at the right is from Pogunon.

The people buried in jars are usually those who have high social status such as Bobohizans and headhunter warriors, so this cemetery is important in cultural anthropology. Some graves belong to the ancestors of the current generations living in Pogunon. In fact, 60% of this village is an ancient burial ground.

Pogunon Community Museum is open from Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 5pm. It’s closed on Sunday and public holidays.

The site is gazetted in 2000 to protect this ancient graveyard and its megaliths, which served as grave markers. Pogunon Community Museum is built in situ in 2004 to showcase its artifacts and history.

The Past of Pogunon Village

Though Kampung Pogunon is a quiet village nowadays, it’s quite a happening place in the past. The small village is situated on the flat plains under Crocker Range and next to a river, so it was a suitable meeting point for mountain and coastal tribes, who used to barter trade with one another. For example, Bajau people from seaside can exchange for forest stuffs with Dusun from the interior with seafood.

Group visit to Pogunon Museum by participants of Sabah Dark Tourism workshop. This museum is listed as one of the attractions of dark tourism.

An article dated 1st July 1884 on North Borneo Herald newspaper stated that Pogunon was the largest tamu (native market) in west coast that time. The tamu of Pogunon was held every 10 days and is considered as one of the earliest known tamu. Some inhabitants were wealthy because of this blooming marketplace.

Old ceramic plates and bowls that were buried with the jars

Now, here comes the interesting and important part, there were Chinese merchants who also traded in this tamu market. Their ships brought in some China products such as ceramic jars, plates, crocks, dishware and other ornaments, which were used for exchanging herbs, spices, hardwood, agarwood, resin and even birds feathers from the locals. This explains where the Chinese jars of Pogunon coming from. Some of the Chinese married the native Dusun and settled in Sabah. Therefore, almost every villagers in Pogunon Village have Chinese connection.

Burial Jars

There is a collection of about 20 burial jars in different size and designs being displayed in the exhibition hall of Pogunon Museum, together with other artifacts such as plates, skeleton and headhunting sword. On the walls are information boards with photographs and description, in English and Malay, on the burial and megalithic cultures of Sabah Borneo.

Collection of burial jars at Pogunon Community Museum

In old days, Kadazandusun, the largest indigenous group of Sabah, has been practicing burial by jars (jar is locally known as tajau) for centuries. The natives believed that jar is the home and shelter for the deceased in the next world. The dead body was stored in fetal position in a large jar, normally at least a metre in height. If the mouth of jar was too narrow, they would cut the jar in half along the rim, so they could fit the corpse inside and joined the pieces again.

Skeleton remains in the burial jar of Pogunon

Favourite personal adornments and belongings of the deceased like plate, bowl, ceramic, silver coin belts, ring, button, necklace, beads, bracelet, and shoes would be placed in the jar too. The mouth of the jar was then sealed with a plate and resin or bee wax. For leaders or village heads, gong would be used as the cover. Lastly the burial ceremony was completed with rituals and prayers led by Bobohizan.

Antique jars of Sabah from China, Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries (photo in Sabah Museum). The oldest China ceramic found in Sabah is from Song Dynasty period (960-1279).

Ceramic jar was a luxury item, so burial by jar is only for the prestigious people. Majority of ceramic jars at Pogunon belong to headhunters and Bobohizans. The commoners were normally buried in bamboo or wooden casket, or cheap (brown) earthen jars. The most expensive jars are from China, especially those with beautiful engraved or embossed patterns. The oldest jar found in Pogunon is about 800 years old (and is given to Sabah Museum).

It’s a special experience to listen to the ancestor stories that happened right under our feet.

Owning one or more big and beautiful jar was a sign of wealth, probably same as owning a designer handbag from Hermès Birkin today. The valuable ceramic jars from Pogunon are in blue and white, or five colours, which were made during Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming (1368-1644) Dynasty periods in China. The locals also used jars for many purposes, for example, heirloom, currency for trading, storage, brewing wine, dowry.

Video of a 2-minute tour at Pogunon Museum

The location of the burial jar is often marked by a rock that served as a tombstone, so it’s easier for the family to locate.

Gravestone and Megalithic Culture

There are 32 sandstone markers (menhirs) of various size and shapes at the compound of Pogunon, each marks the final resting place, and to indicate the gender and age of the persons being buried. Megalithic practices in Sabah existed from 15th century to the end of 19th century.

Rock markers of ancient graves at Pogunon Museum. There are about 30 of them here in different sizes and shapes. The megalithic tradition is used as an intermediary to their ancestors because they believe their ancestors can bless them from another world.

In megalithic culture of Sabah, a rock could be a grave or territory marker, a memorial, or an oath stone. In fact, the name Penampang, the district where Pogunon is situated, originates from the Kadazan word pampang, which means a big rock.

You can tell the gender of the buried from the shapes of their grave markers. The left one belongs to a male, while the right one with rounded top belongs to a female.

At Pogunon cemetery, larger rock is an indicator that the buried is of high status. There is one small rock near the edge that might belong to an infant who probably died in miscarriage. In general, the ‘male’ rocks have rough edges, with angular and pointy top, while the ‘female’ rocks are round and smooth at the top.

The menhirs in Sabah are found in several districts, with the largest deposits found in Penampang, Putatan, Kinarut and Tambunan.

Headhunting History

Check out a few larger stone markers at Pogunon and you will find a few of them have notches carved into the side. These are the menhirs of headhunter warriors and the notches indicating the number of heads they took during their lifetime.

Left: old photograph of a Dusun headhunter. Right: The number of the notches on the tombstone represents the number of heads taken by the deceased.

Pogunon was the gateway between highland and plains hence making this place a war zone among the neighbouring tribes. Headhunters believed that they could capture the power and spirits of the beheaded. Owning many enemy skulls was a sign of bravery and strength.

Enemy skulls were proudly displayed in longhouse as the trophy of the headhunters

Therefore, skulls were placed and hung everywhere in Pogunon during the headhunting era. Bobohizans there were chanting day and night to appease the spirits of the skulls. The skulls were said to move even on a windless night to warn of imminent attacks. They could even made war cry to scare off the invading enemies.

Museum staff (James) sharing the stories of headhunting and Bobohizans

The tour to Pogunon Museum is perfected by the storytelling of the museum staff, James. His stories are so intriguing and vivid that you can visualize what was going on. One of the stories being a Bobohizan ambushed and beheaded the Japanese soldiers at night during World War II. She was never caught of the assassination.

Left: sword and gong. Right: real headhunting sword with Dayak decoration. The sword can’t be buried with its headhunter master, as the next world has no war. People with weak spirits are advised not to touch this sword or they would be possessed.

A headhunting sword owned by a late Bobohizan is another highlight of this museum. The hilt of this Gayang sword is made from a deer’s antlers and has Dayak-styled designs and motifs engraved on it. This sword took many lives including the Japanese.

Left: skulls displayed in Sabah Museum. Right: old photograph of people dismantled the hut used for hanging heads

Pogunon Village was used to be a stronghold of the old belief and headhunting culture, before the arrival of British and their religion. When British ruler started banning headhunting in 1883, countless number of skulls were burnt, buried or thrown away by the villagers, which marked the end of headhunting era.

How to get there

Since Pogunon Museum operated in April 2009, it has received thousands of tourists, historians, researchers, enthusiasts, and students. The entry is free. This museum is situated at Pogunon Village of Penampang district, and highly accessible by car. It’s about 11 km from Kota Kinabalu City and 3 km from Donggongon town. The junction to Pogunon is located at the Penampang-Tambunan road. If you use navigation apps such as Waze, set your destination to Muzium Komuniti Pogunon.

Junction to Pogunon Village (Kampung Pogunon) in Penampang

Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm (Monday to Saturday). Closed on Sunday and Public Holidays
GPS Location: 5.913255638634767, 116.1449756274239 (see Location Map)
Contact Person: Mr. James Dinggon
Telephone: (+60) 088–225033, (+60) 088–215606
Website: museum.sabah.gov.my

Reference

  1. “Kebudayaan Megalitik di Kampung Pogunon, Penampang, Sabah”, page 260 to 270, Sabah Museum Monograph Volume 12 (2014), published by Sabah State Museum

Photos taken in Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Tun Sakaran Museum

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Most tourists who go for an island vacation in Semporna only see 50% of its beauty. To unlock the fascinating heritage and history of Semporna, you may drop by Tun Sakaran Museum (or Muzim Tun Sakaran), a small museum located in Kampung Inabah Kamal (GPS: 4.475566, 118.603385, See Location Map), only 1.5 Kilometre from town centre of Semporna.

Entrance to Tun Sakaran Museum (Muzium Tun Sakaran)

Built under the funding of RM2.8 million by Ninth Malaysia Plan, Tun Sakaran Museum is officially open in year 2015. It is open to public from 9am to 5pm every day (temporarily closed now due to COVID-19). The admission is FREE.

Timeline of political life of Tun Sakaran and Lepa-Lepa boat (left)

Tun Sakaran Museum is a two-storey building. The ground floor is Tun Sakaran gallery, where visitors can learn about the life of Tun Sakaran, the 8th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah (Sabah Governor or Head of State). The top floor has some exhibitions on culture and historical artifacts of the Semporna and Bajau community.

Tun Sakaran gallery in ground floor

The interior is air-conditioned. You need to take off your shoes before entering. Visitors are allowed to take pictures inside the museum.

Tun Sakaran Gallery

Tun Sakaran Museum is named after Tun Sakaran, who is the Head of State from 1995 to 2002. He donated the one-acre land for this museum. He was the Sabah Chief Minister in 1994, and his nephew, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, is the Chief Minister now. Tun Sakaran Marine Park (a.k.a. Semporna Islands Park), the second largest marine park of Sabah, is also named after him.

Photographs and information about the life of Tun Sakaran

Head of State carries the title TYT (Tuan Yang Terutama, means His Excellency). As Sabah has no Sultan / King, Head of State is the ruler. However, he has no executive power in politic system. Sometimes people in Kota Kinabalu would see his black car escorted by group of police motorbikes in siren to make way.

Utensils with gold embroidery and Sabah crest

The ground floor of Tun Sakaran Museum is dedicated mostly to contribution of Tun Sakaran to Sabah State. You can see his personal, political, and family life presented in wall panels and photographs. For me, the best contribution of a Sabah Governor is getting holiday on his birthday. :-p

Fine pieces of souvenirs given to Tun Sakaran

Head of State lives in State Palace on Signal Hill. For people who are curious if there is any gold or treasure inside, the palace has Hari Raya Open House every year. In this gallery, you can check out some goodies that Tun Sakaran received or used over the years.

Playing Game of Thrones 😀

Most of the collection are souvenirs given as memento to Tun Sakaran by other VIPs in the past. Some are really fine piece of artwork or collectible items with historical value, for example, palace utensils with golden embroidery of old Sabah crest, gold plated lepa-lepa boat model.

Semporna and Bajau Gallery

The top floor of Tun Sakaran Museum is mostly about the Semporna community. Before this, there is no exclusive exhibition to display the rich history of Semporna and ethnography of Bajau, the nomadic seaborne people.

Gallery on first floor that showcase the lifestyle of Sea Bajau in Semporna
Traditional Lepa-Lepa boat of Sea Bajau in Semporna

There are some exhibits on artefacts and the heritage unique to Bajau. The highlight is a live scale Lepa-Lepa, traditional boat of Sea Bajau near the door. In old days, Sea Bajau spends most of their time on lepa-lepa, includes cooking, fishing, giving birth a baby, and sail around South-East Asia.

Exhibition on culture and historical artifacts of the Semporna community in top floor

A few partitions were setup to showcase the old and present weapons, carving tools, fishing gears, machete (Guluk), ceramic pottery, musical instrument, handicraft, bronze household items, etc. nicely in display cases, glass box, exhibition boards, and cabinets. There is also a section to study the development of Islam in Semporna.

Weapons used by Bajau and pirates in old days of Semporna
Exhibition of Bajau culture such as musical instrument

Overall, it’s not a personal museum to show off the contribution of a VVIP politician. Most Bajau in Semporna is still living in poverty and not getting much benefits from blooming tourism of Semporna. As a successful Bajau who was born in Semporna, Tun Sakaran can be a role model and inspiration to motivate this community.

A biography walkway of Tun Sakaran

The museum also has cafeteria (not open) and small multipurpose room for the public to use. The information in Tun Sakaran Museum is in Malay language, most have English translation. It’ll be a better experience with deeper feeling if they can use some interactive media such as documentary video and Bajau music. A photo booth with colourful Bajau costumes would be a great addition for tourists to check-in to their social media.

Artifact of Bajau
Traditional cutting and carving tools of Bajau people

If you are really into history and culture of Semporna, you can visit the archaeological museum in Bukit Tengkorak or visit the annual Lepa-Lepa Festival.

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum

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Islam landed on Sabah in 1408, according to a manuscript of Idahan found in Lahad Datu. Borneo was ruled by Brunei and Sulu, the Islamic empires, so Islam plays an important part in Sabah history. Even today it also influences every aspects of our culture and living, as 61.4% or 1,062,280 of Sabah population are Muslims (Census 1991). Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum (Local Name: Muzium Tamadun Islam Sabah) is only 15 minutes walk away from Sabah State Museum, and you can enter it for free on the same day, with the same ticket you visit Sabah Museum.


Pic: Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum

Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum is a 2-storey building that requires only 1 or 2 hours to tour around. The five domes of this museum represent Five Pillars of Islam, the five basic acts in Islam which form the foundation of Muslim life. This museum looks like a beautiful mosque by itself.

Islamic World Gallery

In ground floor, the first gallery you will see is about the past and present of Islamic world.


Most tourists skip this museum so it is very quiet. Though I’m a non-Muslim who can’t read Jawi, I admire the elegant Jawi words engraved on the items. You can tell that the devotion to Allah is not only in the heart of Muslims, and also reflected in their daily lives.


Many Islamic artefacts are being displayed there, most of them are hundreds-year old items from Middle East countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Persia, Morocco, Iran and India. I list some of them here.


Pic: replica of Saidina Uthman bin Affan III sword. It’s too big (and precious) as a weapon. It’s for use in dance performance.


Pic: An Ilkanid pottery tile from late 13th or 14th century


Pic: these are interesting Chinese incense burners from late 19th century, with Quran verses on them. FYI, there are more Chinese Muslims than Malaysian Muslims on earth. Islam is a religion for the world, not to any particular race.


Pic: 19th century brass astrolabe from Persia. Muslims are already very advanced in astronomy during early civilisation.


Pic: this thing is like “laptop computer” of 19th century. They are small pen box from Qalahdan Teheran Persia (left) and Indo-Persian damascened travelling scribe’s set comprising an inkwell, pen holder and candle-stand (right).

Other artefacts that are on display are antique boxes, jars, Quran books, musical instruments, weapons, bowl, etc. The gallery also briefly introduces The Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) and its roles in today’s world.

Betel Nut Containers

This gallery is the highlight of Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum. Betel chewing can date back to 3,000 BC and its function is similar to chewing tobacco today (but with more kick). To prepare for the chewing, the chewers need to cut the areca nut, add it with sirih leaf, lime and sometimes gambier paste. They would store these ingredients and cutting tool in a container (known as Celapa locally) that they can carry around, to enjoy betel chewing anytime.


Pic: A wooden betel-nut box engraved with silver along with four silver made betel nut boxes. The cap is decorated with gold plated carving. Usually used by the royal family from Sambas, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Betel was used as a social denominator among royalty, and king was attended by “betel slave” to carry the set for preparation of betel chewing. Elaborate betel set owned by royalty is made of the finest materials available, often gold or silver and inlaid with precious stones, and it is also exchanged as gifts between foreign rulers.


Many Sabah indigenous people still chew betel nut nowadays. They also like to encourage tourists to give it a try. To first-timers, betel nut tastes hot and bitter, so they would spit it out, giving our locals a good laugh.


The gallery of Islamic Museum has very nice collection of betel nut containers from Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, Kalimantan, Kelantan and Philippines in various materials (e.g. wood, brass, silver and gold), shapes, sizes and design.


Pic: Copper Betel Nut set from Brunei, engraved with geometrical and flora vine motifs

A basic betel set includes a tray, individual containers (storage for items such as areca nut, betel leaf, lime and gambier), and a tool for cutting the nut. The material and workmanship of a set can vary from simple to complex.


Betel nut is commonly included as part of the offering in animistic worship, to communicate with supernatural force or cure sickness. The Betel Nut container is also presented as a symbolic gift for dowry.


Pic: silver round-shaped betel nut set from Sarawak, engraved with floral vine motif, with four small boxes and a gobek.

Ornamental gold betel box is among of 7 articles that required in installation ceremony for Sultan of Terengganu. It has become an important cultural heritage.

Borneo Gallery

There are dozens of Islamic antique in “Sabah Gallery” on first floor. Besides items from Sabah, I also found a lot of artefacts from Brunei and Sarawak so I call it Borneo Gallery.


Pic: exhibition on 1st floor


Pic: brass plate from Brunei with Jawi writing, for preparation of traditional medicine


Pic: English and Chinese plates decorated with Jawi writing. Most of them were imported to Sabah through trade during the 16th – 17th century


Pic: old coins used in Sandakan. Some are really big (I wonder how they put these inside their pockets)


Pic: antique cannon used by Pengiran Shahbandar Hassan


Pic: Handwritten Quran from Kota Belud dated more than 100 years old

Many more unique pieces are shown there. By looking at those old-day daily items such as kettle, measurement tools, containers, plates, swords, pots and vase, you could imagine how our Muslim ancestors lived.

Islamic Costumes

Muslim costumes are very commonly worn in Malaysia. However, very few non-Muslims understand the meaning behind the attires.


To know the culture, Islamic Costumes Gallery has very detail explanation of the Muslim’s “dress code.”


This gallery also displays many hand-embroidered cloth and robes from other Islam countries such as Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Arab and Dubai.


Pic: photographs of Muslims in different part of the world


Pic: silver necklace craved with floral ornate motif, worn by Malay royal women when attending festivals

Besides clothing, you can see other adornments and accessories worn by Muslims such as belt, pin, necklace, pendant, buckle and bracelet.

Mosques and History of Islam in Sabah

There is a section that introduces the development of Muslim in Sabah in the past, with some info & photographs of Sabah mosques. It also talks about Islamic laws, important local Muslim figures and events, Zakat law (giving 2.5% of own savings to the poor and needy) and Ulama (Muslim legal scholar). But most of the information is in Malay language and not translated to English.

If you are interested in mosques of Sabah, you may visit Sabah State Mosque and KK City Mosque in Kota Kinabalu, both are famous attractions. But please don’t visit on Friday (day of worship).


Pic: Sabah State Mosque

Built in 1977, the grand dome of Sabah State Mosque is one of the biggest domes in the world with a height of 132 feet and 70 feet in diameter. One of the most beautiful and unique features of this mosque is the high quality calligraphic writings found on every dome.


Pic: the “floating” City Mosque in Likas

Situated on a man-made lagoon, the architecture of City Mosque is inspired by Nabawi Mosque in Medina. It is the largest mosque in Kota Kinabalu and one of the most beautiful mosques of Malaysia.

Admission Fee

Note: If you have bought the ticket to visit Sabah State Museum, you can enter Sabah Islamic Museum with the same ticket on the same day for free (which means you don’t need to buy another ticket).

Visitor Type Fee
Non-Malaysian RM15.00 (≈US$4.75)
Malaysian RM2.00 (≈US$0.65)
(Malaysian Only)
Student in Uniform, Disabled Guest, Senior Citizen, Taxi Driver		 Free

More Info

Location: Click for Google Location Map Here
Phone: +60 88-253 199
Website: www.museum.sabah.gov.my
Opening Hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm daily
E-mail: muzium.sabah@sabah.gov.my

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo