Kota Kuala Kedah Museum
Kuala Kedah · Malaysia · Founded 1999
Photo: The Bangsawan · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Kota Kuala Kedah Museum in Kuala Kedah, Malaysia — the Kota Kuala Kedah Museum stands inside the 18th-century fort at the mouth of the Kedah River, about 11 km from Alor Setar, in an early-20th-century colonial building. Open daily, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Admission: free admission for all visitors. Allow 1 hour.
Visitor information last reviewed 22 October 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
Kota Kuala Kedah Museum at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Closed | on the first Monday of each month, the first two days of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and the first day of Hari Raya Aidiladha |
| Last entry | 4:30 PM |
| Admission | Free admission for all visitors |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 1 hour |
| Best time to visit | Any day except the first Monday of the month, when JMM's brochure says the museum is closed; arrive before the 4:30 PM last admission. |
| Getting there | Bus: Buses to Kuala Kedah leave from Shahab Perdana and Pekan Rabu in Alor Setar, about 11 km away |
| Address | Muzium Kota Kuala Kedah, Kampung Seberang Kota, 06600 Kuala Kedah, Kedah, Malaysia |
| Official website | jmm.gov.my |
Checked 2026-10-22 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is Kota Kuala Kedah Museum known for?
Kota Kuala Kedah, also called Kota Kuala Bahang, stands on the northern bank of the Kedah River mouth and was built to defend the state and its capital, Alor Setar. According to the Department of Museums Malaysia (JMM), work began in 1771 under Sultan Muhammad Jiwa and was completed in 1780, to a design by Hafiz Sab, then the Dato' Maharaja Kadhi, with skilled craftsmen brought from India. Earlier defences stood on the site by 1611, when a Portuguese fleet burned the town and fort; a rebuilt fort was destroyed again when Aceh sacked Kedah in 1619. JMM records that the fort itself was attacked by the Bugis, the Acehnese and the Siamese.
After Kedah came under British control in 1909, government offices and a lighthouse were built inside the fort, together with a new gateway that still stands. During the Japanese occupation the fort served as a military headquarters until 1945. It was gazetted as a historical site on 31 August 1978, and from November 2000 JMM conserved the eastern and southern walls and rebuilt the Kacapuri Gate, which had collapsed in a storm in 1970, to its original measurements. The gate dates from the reign of Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Muazzam Shah II, shows Indian architectural influence and was the main entrance to the fort, believed to have led directly to the palace.
The museum opened on 6 June 1999 in an early-20th-century building inside the fort that served the British as a courthouse and as an administration and education centre, and the Japanese as a military training centre. Its gallery is divided into six sections: introduction, history, the role of the fort, and the British, Japanese and post-independence periods. Around 60 artefacts are displayed, including archaeological finds, ceramics and original bricks from the fort, 13 cannonballs, six British-made cannons more than a century old, and an earthenware artefact known as a 'pelita', found during archaeological work on the east wall near the Kacapuri Gate.
Entry is free. JMM's web listing gives opening hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day, closing for the first two days of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and for Hari Raya Aidiladha; its printed brochure adds a closure on the first Monday of each month and last admission at 4:30 PM. Facilities include toilets, a car park, a café and a surau, and guided tours are offered on request. Kuala Kedah, about 11 km from Alor Setar, is a fishing port and a ferry terminal for Langkawi. Around the museum you can see the walls, the old magistrates' court, the Kacapuri Gate, the British gateway, the lighthouse and the sites of the quarters and palace.
Best for: History Enthusiasts · Photographers · Budget Travellers
What are the must-see works at Kota Kuala Kedah Museum?
4 highlights that define the collection: Kacapuri Gate, British cannons and cannonballs, The 'pelita' earthenware find and more.
Kacapuri Gate
Reign of Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Muazzam Shah II · rebuilt 2000
📍 East wall of the fort
The fort's main entrance, built with Indian architectural influence and believed to have connected directly to the palace; it collapsed in a storm in 1970 and was rebuilt by JMM to its original measurements.
British cannons and cannonballs
British-made · more than 100 years old
📍 Museum and fort grounds
Six British-made cannons and 13 cannonballs, highlighted by JMM among the museum's collection, recalling the fort's role in defending the Kedah River mouth.
The 'pelita' earthenware find
Archaeological find · Kota Kuala Kedah
📍 Museum gallery
An earthenware artefact known as a 'pelita', uncovered during archaeological research and conservation of the east wall near the Kacapuri Gate.
Lighthouse
British period · from 1909
📍 Inside the fort
A white lighthouse built inside the fort with the British government offices after Kedah came under British control in 1909.
Collections and highlights
- • History of the fort from the Kedah Sultanate to independence
- • British and Japanese periods in Kuala Kedah
- • Archaeological finds and ceramics
- • Original bricks from the fort
- • British-made cannons and cannonballs
- • Fort walls, gateways and lighthouse
Tips for visiting Kota Kuala Kedah Museum
- 1.
Best time to visit
Any day except the first Monday of the month, when JMM's brochure says the museum is closed; arrive before the 4:30 PM last admission. No Friday midday closure is published.
- 2.
Tickets & booking
Free; no booking needed. Guided tours are offered on request; contact the museum on 011-65727266 before you go.
- 3.
Accessibility
No accessibility information is published. JMM's brochure photo shows the museum building raised above the ground and entered by steps, so contact the museum before visiting if you have mobility needs.
- 4.
Photography rules
JMM publishes no photography rules; ask staff before photographing inside the gallery. The walls, gates, cannons and lighthouse are outdoors in the fort grounds.
How do you get to Kota Kuala Kedah Museum?
- bus Buses to Kuala Kedah leave from Shahab Perdana and Pekan Rabu in Alor Setar, about 11 km away
- taxi Taxi or Grab from Alor Setar or from the Kuala Kedah ferry terminal
- car Drive from Alor Setar along Jalan Kuala Kedah; the museum has a car park
Address: Muzium Kota Kuala Kedah, Kampung Seberang Kota, 06600 Kuala Kedah, Kedah, Malaysia
Sources we checked
Visitor facts and history on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown.
- Kota Kuala Kedah Museum — Department of Museums Malaysia (JMM), checked 22 October 2026
- Muzium Kota Kuala Kedah — Jabatan Muzium Malaysia (JMM), checked 22 October 2026
- Muzium Kota Kuala Kedah / Kota Kuala Kedah Museum (brochure) — Jabatan Muzium Malaysia (JMM), checked 22 October 2026
- Kuala Kedah — Wikipedia, checked 22 October 2026
Kota Kuala Kedah Museum: frequently asked questions
How much is the entrance fee for the Kota Kuala Kedah Museum?
There is no charge. The Department of Museums Malaysia (JMM), which runs the museum, lists entry as free, and the fort grounds around it, with the Kacapuri Gate, the walls and the lighthouse, are part of the same visit. Guided tours are available on request, and the site has toilets, a car park, a café and a surau.
Where is the Kota Kuala Kedah Museum and how do I get there?
The museum is inside the fort at Kampung Seberang Kota, Kuala Kedah, on the northern bank of the Kedah River mouth and about 11 km from Alor Setar. JMM says buses to Kuala Kedah leave from Shahab Perdana and Pekan Rabu in Alor Setar, and taxis run from Alor Setar or the Kuala Kedah ferry terminal. Drivers take Jalan Kuala Kedah.
How long should I spend at the Kota Kuala Kedah Museum?
Plan 1 hour for the highlights of Kota Kuala Kedah Museum. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
What are the highlights of the Kota Kuala Kedah Museum?
The Kacapuri Gate, the fort's main entrance from the reign of Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Muazzam Shah II, shows Indian architectural influence and was rebuilt to its original measurements in 2000 after a storm destroyed it in 1970. Inside, look for six British-made cannons over a century old, 13 cannonballs, original fort bricks and an earthenware 'pelita' found near the gate.
When was Kota Kuala Kedah built?
According to JMM, the present fort was begun in 1771 under Sultan Muhammad Jiwa and completed in 1780, designed by Hafiz Sab, then the Dato' Maharaja Kadhi, with craftsmen brought from India. Earlier defences stood here by 1611, when a Portuguese fleet burned the town and fort. The fort was later attacked by the Bugis, the Acehnese and the Siamese.
Can I take photos at the Kota Kuala Kedah Museum?
JMM publishes no photography policy for this museum, so ask staff before photographing inside the gallery and avoid flash. Most of the site is outdoors: the walls, the white Kacapuri Gate, the British gateway, the cannons and the lighthouse stand in the open fort grounds beside the river mouth and can be photographed as you walk around.
What else can I see near the Kota Kuala Kedah Museum?
Kuala Kedah is a fishing port and a ferry terminal for Langkawi, so the fort fits easily around a ferry crossing. JMM's brochure suggests combining it with Alor Setar's Pekan Rabu market, the Kedah State Museum, the Royal Museum and the Rice Museum, about 11 km inland; those are run separately, so check their own hours before you go.
Is Kota Kuala Kedah Museum open on Mondays?
Usually — Kota Kuala Kedah Museum opens every day, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, but it closes on the first Monday of each month, the first two days of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and the first day of Hari Raya Aidiladha. Check the official website before a Monday visit.
What are Kota Kuala Kedah Museum's opening hours?
Kota Kuala Kedah Museum is open daily, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and closed on the first Monday of each month, the first two days of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and the first day of Hari Raya Aidiladha. Last entry: 4:30 PM. Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go.
Is Kota Kuala Kedah Museum free to visit?
Yes — free admission for all visitors.
