Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang

Sun Yat Sen Museum is an excellent heritage site for anyone interested in modern Chinese history. The house at 120 Armenian Street is beautifully preserved by the same family whose ancestors once hosted Dr Sun Yat Sen during his visits to Penang. The museum presents a focused and well curated narrative of his activities on the island. Penang was home to some of the most influential Chinese communities outside China and played a key role in supporting his revolutionary work. One of his speeches delivered here included the striking line: You, offer money; the comrades in our homeland offer their lives. The collection features photographs, documents, and memorabilia that clearly illustrate his fundraising efforts, political meetings, and the founding of a newspaper that is still published today. The displays are concise, informative, and respectful of the historical context. A special mention goes to Carina, the staff member who guided me through the exhibition. Her explanations were clear, engaging, and helpful, and she added valuable background that enriched the visit. Overall, this museum is a highly recommended stop for visitors who appreciate well-presented history and meaningful cultural heritage.

A place that detailed Penang's role as a hub for Dr. Sun Yat Sen's fight to free China from Imperial Qing. At the heart of it, a small conference/dining room where the Huanghuagang Uprising was planned on 14 Nov 1910. (The uprising ended in failure, but was generally believed to have been a key trigger for the successful Xinhai Revolution later that same year) We could walk through the old house in 5 minutes, but with Ming Ming as our guide, we stayed for over an hour and well pass their official closing time. She is very knowledgable on every part of the house and hold no restraint to share it with us; the cover for revolutionary activities, back doors, escape routes and hidden rooms. You could almost relive history here. The museum was opened by former PM, Tun Mahathir, and notable visitors included China's Vice-President Hu Jintao (later President) and Prince Charles (now King). I visited with my children to both educate them about China and also as to why their great great grandfather came to Malaya.

The location is strategic, easy to find. There are a lot of shops around. The staffs are friendly and still letting visitors to come even in the almost closing time. The entrance fee is affordable. We can see the house, historical stuffs, and documentary film of Sun Yat Sen here. The place ia homey.

RM10 entrance fee could not do justice for this knowledgable experience! Ming Ming displayed enthusiasm in explaining the history to the visitors. She was also humble to learn from the visitors when the visitor shared her interpretation of some drawings on the furnitures. Everything was preserved well and the guide shared that they are going to publish book about Mr Sun’s journey in Malaya before independence! Looking forward to it!

This is a really interesting museum and a fascinating part of Penang’s history. Our tour guide, Emily, was enthusiastic and incredibly knowledgeable, and she really brought Sun Yat Sen’s time in Georgetown to life. The story of the museum itself is also compelling — the building was bought by the manager’s mother after she recognised its importance while studying history, which adds a very personal and meaningful layer to the experience. If you’re interested in history and how it connects to the places you visit and stay, I highly recommend a visit.

A small but fascinating gem of a museum. Our guide Emily was great fun and told the Sun Yat Sen’s story and his connection to the house in an engaging and informative manner. Not only did I learn a lot, it was also a very memorable experience!

Such a well preserved museum covering the life of Sun Yat Sen . The host at the museum did an excellent job in explaining every detail about Sun Yat Sen , the artifacts, old newspapers etc. I definitely recommend this as a must visit in Penang.

I really recommend visiting this museum — it’s truly worth it. It offers an important piece of history, presented in a way that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Our guide, Ming Ming, explained everything wonderfully and made the whole experience even more interesting. A visit here is definitely time well spent!