Brunei Museum

Established in 1965, the Brunei Museum first operated from an administrative office at the Civic Centre in what is now Bandar Seri Begawan, before a dedicated site was chosen at Kota Batu, about 5km away. Construction ran 1968-1970, and the museum officially opened 29 February 1972, with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom presiding.

The building sits atop a hill overlooking the Brunei River, its ornate engravings drawing on traditional Malay design inspired by the Tomb of Sultan Bolkiah, the Fifth Ruler of Brunei (1473-1521 AD).

Exhibits span Archaeology, Ethnography, History and Natural History, drawing both local and foreign visitors, with objects selected as masterpieces from across the Brunei Museums Department's collections — the Brunei Museum, the Malay Technology Museum, and the Art Gallery.