Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam

Sultan Alam Shah Museum in Shah Alam, Selangor (13 July, 2016)


B. Melayu

Sultan Alam Shah Museum (GPS: 3.07552, 101.52134) is the biggest museum in Selangor. This is the de facto State Museum of Selangor. It is located off Persiaran Bandar Raya in Shah Alam. It is housed within the complex known as the Malay Customs & Heritage Corporation Selangor. Although the planning of this museum dates back to 1975, it was only completed and opened by the Sultan of Selangor on 2 September, 1989.

Visiting Sultan Alam Shah Museum

The Sultan Alam Shah Museum is open every day except Monday, from 9:30am in the morning to 5:30pm in the evening. Admission is free.

Front façade of the Sultan Alam Shah Museum (13 July, 2016)


Replica of the Klang Railway Station, at the Sultan Alam Shah Museum (13 July, 2016)


Bunga Raya, a locomotive displayed at the Sultan Alam Shah Museum (13 July, 2016)


Railway coach donated by the Sultan of Selangor to the Sultan Alam Shah Museum (13 July, 2016)

Exhibits at the Sultan Alam Shah Museum

On the outside of the museum is the exact replica of the Klang Railway Station. Housed here is a railway coach that belonged to the late Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, who presented it to the Selangor Museum Board in 1988.

Replica of a granite cist grave discovered at Ulu Bernam Estate. (13 July, 2016)

Proto-Historic Discoveries in Selangor

Among the exhibits at the Sultan Alam Shah Museum is a replica of a granite cist grave that was discovered at Ulu Bernam Estate, in February, 1993. Discovered from the site were glass beads and stone beads as well as Chinese pottery from the early Tang period.

A pair of megaliths was discovered at Bernam Valley near Sabak Bernam. They comprise the taller Menhir A, measuring 96cm in height and 117 cm at its longest axis; and Menhir B, measuring 58 cm in height and 33 cm by 5 cm at the base. This is the first time megaliths of this type were discovered outside of Negeri Sembilan and Malacca.

Replica of a megaliths discovered at Bernam Valley. (13 July, 2016)

Early History of Selangor

The Sultan Alam Shah Museum offers an insight into the history of Selangor. The history of the early settlement of Selangor is believed to date back to protohistory (the transition period between prehistory and the earliest recorded history). Among the early artefacts discovered were three bronze bells, in 1905, when workers were digging the land to construct the railway tracks in Klang. Separately, various artefacts including earthenware bowls, pitchers and wooden paddles have been discovered at Jenderam Hilir. The discovery of stone adzes and other stone tools, also in Jenderam Hilir, points to the possibility of Neolithic presence in that area.

Neolithic artefacts discovered at Jenderam Hilir, Selangor. (13 July, 2016)


Model of Istana Mahkota in Klang. (13 July, 2016)

Founding of the Sultanate of Selangor

The Sultanate of Selangor was established by the Bugis who arrived in the Selangor area from Sulawesi. The first Sultan of Selangor was Raja Lumu, in the mid-18th century. He became Sultan Salehuddin, and served from his administration centre at Kuala Selangor, from where he managed to unite other areas until his rule, creating the state of Selangor.

After the demise of Sultan Salehuddin in 1782, he was succeeded by his eldest son, who became Sultan Ibrahim (1782-1826). Animosity had strained the relationship between Sultan Ibrahim and the Dutch in Malacca because Sultan Ibrahim had sided with the Johor-Riau Kingdom in the attempt to wrestle Malacca from the Dutch. He corroborated with his uncle, Raja Haji of Riau, to attack Dutch Malacca in 1784. However, the Dutch defeated and killed Raja Haji at Teluk Ketapang, and in July that year. By August, 1784, the Dutch had taken over Bukit Malawati. However, Sultan Ibrahim managed to stage a surprise attack on the Dutch in June, 1785, and in the one-night assault, forced them to retreat to Malacca. The Dutch retaliated and laid siege on Bukit Malawati lasting for months, until a peace treaty was signed on 29 June, 1785 which gave the Dutch a monopoly on the tin trade in Selangor, and Sultan Ibrahim remaining as ruler of Selangor.

Sultan Ibrahim was instrumental in developing the economy of Selangor. He made Kuala Selangor a transit centre for traders, and a tin collection site. He also acted as mediator between the Dutch and the Yamtuan Muda Raja Ali of Riau.

Modern History of Selangor

Although one of the most developed states in Malaysia today, Selangor was a late bloomer, compared to the other states of the country. In 1824, its entire population was just 6,000 people, mostly Malays, divided between the ruling class and the ruled. Even as recently as 1874, the Malay population in Selangor was recorded at just 5,000 people. However, the population began to increase rapidly from then on. By 1891, the population of Selangor had increased to 81,592, of which the Malays made up 26,578. An influx of immigrants from China and India has caused the population to boom.

Today Selangor is the most populous state in Malaysia. It was also declared a developed state on 27 August, 2005.

Gallery of the Sultan Alam Shah Museum. (13 July, 2016)


The interior of a traditional Malay house, at the Sultan Alam Shah Museum. (13 July, 2016)


Malay musical instruments. (13 July, 2016)


Interior of Sultan Alam Shah Museum. (13 July, 2016)


The skull of a giant crocodile known as Sang Bedal Bukit Belimbing, which was found floating in Kuala Selangor. (13 July, 2016)


The natural history gallery of Sultan Alam Shah Museum. (13 July, 2016)


Replica of Buaya Puchong, the largest crocodile in captivity, was caught at Puchong Lake, and placed at the Malacca Zoo, where it died at age 60 on 18 June, 1997. (13 July, 2016)


A Muslim pulpit exhibited at the Sultan Alam Shah Museum. (13 July, 2016)


Earthenware vessels. (13 July, 2016)


Model of the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque. (13 July, 2016)


Model of the Sultan Alaeddin Mosque in Kampung Bandar, Jugra. (13 July, 2016)

Sultan Alam Shah Museum is on the map of Shah Alam

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