The Camera Museum

Penang Camera Museum (12 October 2013)


The Camera Museum (GPS: 5.419884, 100.335553) is a specialty museum along Muntri Street, in George Town, Penang. Simply called Camera Museum, it occupies a double-storey late 19th century-style townhouse with wooden shutters on the second floor. Touted as the first museum of its kind in Southeast Asia, the Camera Museum opened to the public in July, 2013.

A display of photography posters at the Camera Museum (12 October 2013)


The Camera Museum is the result of the collective synergy of local camera enthusiasts. The twenty- and thirty-somethings in this joint-venture are Tony Ch'ng, Christopher Cheah, Venus Khor, Paul Lee , Najieb Ariff Nazir Ariff, Lance Ooi and Adrian Soh. They assembled some two hundred cameras from different periods. These are put on display in the upstairs gallery. Visitors can follow the development of these photographic equipment through a chronological time line. On display are spy cameras used in World War II, large format cameras, medium format cameras, various types of vintage cameras and more. For the public's better understanding of photography, the museum also showcases a camera obscura, a pinhole room and a dark room, among others.

Photography gallery (12 October 2013)


The space on the ground floor of the Camera Museum is occupied by a gallery, a shop and a restaurant. The shop, called Snapshot, sells a variety of photography-inspired souvenirs including replicas of vintage cameras and souvenir t-shirts. Beyond the shop is Double Exposure, a patisserie with various pastries and breads. The back door opened to Mesjid Road.

Contact

Camera Museum
49 Muntri Street
10200 George Town, Penang
Phone: +60 4 261 3649
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PenangCameraMuseum

The Camera Museum is open daily from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. Entrance to the gallery, souvenir shop and patisserie on the ground floor is free, while entrance to the museum proper on the first floor is RM20 per adult and RM10 per student/senior citizen.



Snap Shot, the souvenir shop at the Camera Museum (12 October 2013)


Double Exposure, the patisserie at the Camera Museum (12 October 2013)

Getting there

To reach the front door, the nearest bus stop is along Penang Road (Rapid Penang bus 103, 204 and 502). From bus stop, walk south on Penang Road till junction of Muntri Street, then follow Muntri Street heading east till you arrive at the museum on your right. To enter by the back door, the nearest bus stop is on Chulia Street (Rapid Penang bus 10, 11, 101, 104, 201, 202, 203, 206). Depending on which bus stop on Chulia Street you alight, walk towards Mesjid Road. Go all the way to the end of Mesjid Road and look for the back door to the museum (see photo below).

Penang Camera Museum back door (12 October 2013)

Location of Penang Camera Museum on the map

List of Museums in Penang and Museums in Malaysia