The Brooke Gallery is a museum dedicated to the story of Sarawak’s White Rajahs which once ruled Sarawak.
It is located in a fort known as Fort Margherita.
About the mini museum
The Brooke Gallery opened in 2016. Prior to that, Fort Margherita used to be a police museum.
The museum tells the fascinating story of Sarawak’s “White Rajahs”, the British Brooke family.
The gallery is a collaboration between the Sarawak Museum Department, Tourism Cultural and Heritage Sarawak and the Brooke Trust.
In 2020, the mini museum won TripAdvisor’s Traveller’s Choice Award.
What to expect
The displays focus on the people, places and events that have shaped the Sarawak, and how how the journey through a century of ‘White Rajah’ rule began in September 1841, was shattered by the Japanese invasion of December 1941 and ended in July 1946 with Sarawak’s annexation as a British Crown Colony.
It also tells about political independence culminated in Sarawak’s part in forming the Federation of Malaysia in September 1963.
You can see the photos below to get an idea of what the gallery has to offer. Photos below are from the Gallery’s Facebook page.
The photo below is from other sources we found in the internet.
How to go to The Brooke Gallery
I would recommend going to the gallery by boat (Penambang) as the ride is unique to Kuching. Alternatively, you can also go by foot, or by hiring a taxi.
Going by boat
- Go to the Kuching Waterfront and head to the Pangakalan Sapi Kuching Waterfront jerry (it is located near Darul Hana Bridge),
- Take a boat towards Pangkalan Sapi where Kampung Boyan is located (You can read about taking the boat here). A ride takes about RM1/person per trip.
- At Pangkalan Sapi, walk about 500m your left towards a white building which looks like a fort.
Going by foot
- Go to the Kuching Waterfront and head to the Darul Hana Bridge.
- Use the bridge to cross the Sarawak River.
- At Pangkalan Sapi, walk about 500m your left towards a white building which looks like a fort.
To get a clearer picture of where the gallery is located, the map below can be a good guide.
Operating hours and fees
The operating hours for the gallery are seen below.
- Monday – Sunday & Public Holidays: 9am – 4.45pm
In terms of fees, a nominal fee is charged when entering the gallery. Rates are seen below.
- Local (Malaysian): RM 10
- Global (Non-Malaysian): RM 20
- Concession: RM 5
- Children (under 7): Free
The gallery also managed The Ranee Museum, and hence offers special Explorer Passes (to visit both museums; Brooke Gallery and Ranee Museum) for those wanting to visit both as seen below.
- Local (Malaysian): RM 15
- Global (Non-Malaysian): RM 30
Dress code and rules
There is no dress code when visiting The Brooke Gallery.
More about The Brooke Gallery
If you feel you need more information about The Brooke Gallery, or want to explore more about Kuching, check out the links below.
- Visit Brooke Gallery official site
- Read articles about Brooke Gallery
- Learn more about The Ranee Museum
- Find more museums in Kuching
- Buy colonial era clothing
- Read articles about Brooke
- Read about Fort Margherita
