Heritage House of Muzium Gopeng

Heritage House, Muzium Gopeng (12 August 2017)


Gopeng Heritage House (GPS: 4.47396, 101.16766) is a historic building in Gopeng, Perak. Officially known as Heritage House of Muzium Gopeng, it is an annex to Muzium Gopeng, and is located within a two-storey townhouse across Dataran Rafflesia Gopeng from the museum. Heritage House, as its name indicates, preserves and celebrates Gopeng heritage. The well-kept building is a treasure trove of Gopeng keepsakes.

While the main Muzium Gopeng opened in 2009, this annex opened two years later, in 17 April, 2011, by then Minister of Tourism, Dato' Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen. It is more a gallery of curios or an eclectic jumble of items collected by the owner, rather than a properly curated museum.

Unlike the Muzium Gopeng main building, there are no interpretive boards here to provide details of Gopeng history (but no reason to repeat the same thing, right?) Nevertheless, there is plenty to look at, though they do not appear to have been curated in any chronological or coherent manner. The items on display are at times surprising, like the bust of Mao Tze Tung on one side, and the portrait of Sun Yat Sen on the other.

At the rear section of Heritage House is a show kitchen, with neatly arranged firewood, cast iron wok, pots and flasks. It provides a reminding glimpse of life in Gopeng in decades past, though possibly the same items could be found in a present-day kitchen somewhere in town.

There is an airwell that has been converted into an indoor garden, with lily ponds and potted plants. Looking at the items on display, I am reminded of the Time Tunnel Museum in Cameron Highlands. There are certain similarities, such as the coffee shop kopi-or cups. I do wonder aloud whether the kitchen utensils are for actual use.

Apart from there being no interpretive boards (unlike the main Muzium Gopeng), labels and captions are likewise quite limited. Occasionally, there would be a label, such as that for a lode of tin ore, but more often than not, the visitor is left to experience the place and provide his own interpretation of what he saw.

Although I find the Gopeng Heritage House wanting in its narratives, I am very happy to recommend visitors to come here and walk back in time. I suppose many would enjoy looking at the collection, and what's more, admission is free though donations are welcome.

Address

Gopeng Heritage House
Jalan Sungai Itik,
31600 Gopeng, Perak.

Gopeng Heritage House is open only on Saturdays and Sundays, from 9:00am to 3:00pm.

Entrance to Gopeng Heritage House (12 August, 2017)


Main hall of Gopeng Heritage House (12 August, 2017)


Items on display at Gopeng Heritage House (12 August, 2017)


Statue of a Chinese sage, possibly Laozi, or the Taoist god of longevity, Shouxing (12 August, 2017)


Wood stove kitchen at Heritage House, Gopeng (12 August, 2017)


Indoor garden in the heart of Heritage House (12 August, 2017)


Old bottles of aerated water (12 August, 2017)


Staircase inside Heritage House (12 August, 2017)


Wooden kitchen (12 August, 2017)


Kitchen utensils and appliances (12 August, 2017)


Old time farmer's raincoat (12 August, 2017)


Mahogany chairs (12 August, 2017)


Wicker basket for hauling goods upstairs (12 August, 2017)


Bedchamber with quilt blanket (12 August, 2017)


Writing desk and dressing table (12 August, 2017)


Packed luggage trunks (12 August, 2017)


Upstairs sitting area (12 August, 2017)


Water vessel with rattan carrier case. (12 August, 2017)

Gopeng Heritage House on Google Maps Street View

Gopeng Heritage House (Dec 2013)

Gopeng Heritage House is on the Map of Gopeng, Perak

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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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