History Museum of Penang

For a number of years residents of Penang had been urging that Penang should have a Museum & Art Gallery. In 1941, a small museum was built up at St. Xavier’s Institution; this with all its specimens was wiped out by enemy action during the war. Another independent effort was made in 1956 under the stimulus of Mr. R.P. Bingham and the nucleus of a museum was collected in a house in Northam Road. However, owing to the demolition of the house, this too had to be abandoned and its collections became scattered.

The initiative then passed to the Historical and Art Societies of Penang, whose members persisted on keeping the need for a Museum & Art Gallery alive through research, lectures and exhibition held when and where they could