After the brief breakfast, I left for the museum. The bus driver dropped me behind the Muzium Sabah (Sabah Museum in English). First thing I noticed was the lines of Burmese Rose Wood (Pa-dauk) trees and a signboard. It says "Love Our Drains". I think the environmentalists will love the sign as well as the clean drain.
Whenever I visited the "cold and clumsy" museums, I wonder how some people run museums. Today, I have experienced a "Lively" Museum tour. This time round, I also tried to observe what make the visitors believe in the stories the museum is telling.
I checked out the brochures at the hostel and noticed that there are many exhibitions all year round. When I reached the entrance, I was given another brochure which explains the events and exhibitions in the month of May. First fact – the information of various events made me interested and willing to spend half a day at the museum.
Once I entered the main building, there is this 18.6-meter long skeleton of Bryde's Whale. Since cameras are not allowed inside the main building, I only can refer to the photos available online "here". Second fact - the big big thing (although I wasn't sure if it was a dinosaur until I watch the video explanation) awed me.
Next to the whale was a photo exhibition. I can't recall the title but it was about the photos of 1900s. The photos were categorized into Culture, Environment, Architecture, etc. Under the sub-title Transportation, there were photos of boats and bullock cart as I have expected. What I did not assumed as mode of transportation were the porters and the buffalo sledges. It was interesting to see the head/chief of the village (in addition to the police) under the sub-title Security. Sago making, rubber tapping and fish trap portray Sabah's economy of early 20th century. I was again amused to see a photo of people gambling during Chinese New Year under the title of "Sports".
Then, I walked into a maze-like exhibition named "Time Tunnel" which explains the history of Sabah from Arrivals of Chinese, American, British, then Japanese Occupation followed by Liberation by Allied Forces till British Colony and later Independence. I like anecdotes like "invulnerable jacket" which was worn by a Datu whenever he was out for fighting and won the war. It says that Datu was not wearing that jacket in the battle where he was killed. Another legend says Kadazan God Kinoingan sacrificed his only daughter to save the hungry people who not have anything to plant. The girl's body parts were transformed into various vegetables - the head into coconut, the ears into mushroom, etc. The original pieces of newspapers "North Borneo News" and "Sabah Times" also paint the pictures of the past. Third fact - tell stories, make it real. (Here, I may be discounting the importance of correctness of the facts exhibited).
The titles of the next segments in the main museum are also interesting - Bamboo Technology at the exhibit of cups, containers, fish traps and a miniature house made of bamboo; Color, Cloth and Cosmos where the traditional clothes and accessories of various tribes in Sabah are displayed. Fourth fact - categorizing the exhibits in simple and interesting ways made me understand and remember them.
The highlight of Muzium Sabah might be the Kampung Warisan, the Heritage Village. There are live-size Sabah tribal houses and ponds in the village. I walked on an old suspended bridge which was built over a pond. The bridge shook and made eerie sound at every single step of mine. The water lilies bloom in the ponds as if they were in the real villages. I even saw two women demonstrating weaving of cloth. Fifth fact – I know this is expensive; but making things real is the key.
Although I still have the interest to go and see Islam Civilization Museum, it was not convenient to get there under the hot sun of 12-noon. My 2-cent suggestion for the museums is "make it easily accessible". I got back to the main road, took a snap short of the State Mosque and hopped on the bus back to the city center.
Colorful City Bus
Muzium Sabah
Bridge over the pond
Kampung Warisan
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