Throughout our time in Kuching, we've been watching this spectacular new museum taking shape.

I can't believe we didn't take more photos... We photographed the hell out of everything else, after all...

But you can see it in this picture, alongside its classical forebear. And here's a detail, from 2019:


Of course, the pandemic delayed everything, and the museum's launch was postponed a couple of times. But it finally opened in March this year, and for the time being, entry is free.

So this week we visited. Actually we visited twice... The first time we were driven out by hunger (we thought there was a restaurant, and there will be -- but it's not open yet). Terns are not patient when they're hungry, so after one extensive floor, we were compelled to head out for lunch... But the next day, we returned, and completed the other two floors.

It's a lovely building, lofty, spacious, and imaginatively designed:






It's very much a modern museum, its numerous artefacts nicely placed and well lighted.

And it is quite a treasure trove, as Sarawak's multiplicity of ethnic groups has created a seemingly never-ending range of arts, crafts, and cultural expression.

Below are just a few examples from what was a very rich experience.

Warding off evil:






Funeral customs:










Crafts:









Political history:




All up, I'd thoroughly recommend a visit, and would happily return myself. I guess my only reservation (aside from the fact that there's no food yet) is that many of the interactive exhibits are touch-operated. I hope everyone remembers the hand-sanitizer...

There's a neat little shop, some of whose exquisite products might have tempted me if we'd not spent such a fortune already in recent weeks. Next time...