Pinang Peranakan Mansion
George Town · Malaysia · Founded 2004
Photo: Supanut Arunoprayote · CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Pinang Peranakan Mansion in George Town, Malaysia — the Pinang Peranakan Mansion is a house museum on Church Street in George Town that recreates the home of a wealthy Baba (Straits Chinese) family of a century ago. Open daily, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM (open on public holidays). Admission: RM30 for adults; RM18 for children aged 6–12. Allow 1–1.5 hours.
Visitor information last reviewed 25 September 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
Pinang Peranakan Mansion at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Daily: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM (open on public holidays) |
|---|---|
| Admission | RM30 for adults; RM18 for children aged 6–12 |
| Free or reduced entry | Children under 6 free |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 1–1.5 hours |
| Best time to visit | Open every day including public holidays. |
| Getting there | Walk: In George Town's UNESCO core on Church Street (Lebuh Gereja) — about 10 minutes on foot from the Weld Quay (Pengkalan Weld) ferry and bus terminal, and 5 minutes from the Penang State Museum on Farquhar Street |
| Address | 29 Church Street (Lebuh Gereja), 10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia |
| Official website | pinangperanakanmansion.com.my |
Checked 2026-09-25 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is Pinang Peranakan Mansion known for?
The Pinang Peranakan Mansion occupies Hai Kee Chan, the "Sea Remembrance Store", built in the 1890s as the residence and office of Kapitan Cina Chung Keng Kwee, a tin-mining magnate who was Kapitan Cina of Perak and one of the richest men in Penang. He bought the Church Street site in 1893; it had previously been used by the Ghee Hin society, rivals of his own Hai San. After Chung died in 1901 the house passed to his descendants and slowly fell into disrepair. Property developer and collector Peter Soon bought it in 2000, restored it and opened it to the public as a museum in 2004.
The building is a Straits Eclectic mansion that blends European and Chinese design. Behind a five-foot way and iron-lace verandah, rooms open onto wide courtyards in the manner of Chinese townhouses of the era. Chung furnished it with Scottish cast-iron work and Stoke-on-Trent ceramic floor tiles, set against carved and gilded Chinese timber panels and screens. Though Chung himself was not a Baba, the museum notes that his courtyard house was much like a typical large Baba home. The mansion was originally white and was repainted green when it was restored, and it lies within George Town's UNESCO World Heritage core zone.
Inside, more than 1,000 antiques and collectibles recreate the opulent home of a rich Baba family of a century ago and introduce Peranakan customs and traditions. Rooms are dressed with inlaid furniture, porcelain and a long tok panjang dining table, while the upstairs bedrooms show antique brass beds and beaded slippers. A passage at the rear leads to a gallery of Straits Chinese gold, silver and pearl jewellery. Next door, the Chung Keng Kwee ancestral temple holds a statue of the Kapitan in Qing official's dress and portraits of his family.
The mansion opens daily from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, including public holidays, and adult tickets cost RM30. Complimentary tours are offered, but photography and videography are not permitted inside, and food and drink are banned. Its interiors have appeared on screen in the Singapore drama The Little Nyonya and on The Amazing Race. The museum sits a five-minute walk from the Penang State Museum on Farquhar Street and a short stroll from Little India, so it fits easily into a walking day in George Town's heritage core.
Best for: History Enthusiasts · Architecture Enthusiasts · First-timers
How long do you need at Pinang Peranakan Mansion?
Allow 1–1.5 hours. A focused route through 5 must-see highlights at Pinang Peranakan Mansion without museum fatigue. Follow the stops in order:
- 1
Central courtyard and airwell
📍 Ground floor
Start under the airwell to see how Chinese carved screens, Scottish ironwork and English tiles combine in one Straits Eclectic space.
- 2
Reception halls and tok panjang
📍 Ground floor
Look at the inlaid furniture, porcelain and the long tok panjang table used for Peranakan banquets.
- 3
Upstairs bedrooms
📍 Upper floor
Brass beds and beaded slippers show the private side of a wealthy Baba household.
- 4
Straits Chinese jewellery gallery
📍 Rear wing, via the back passage
Take the rear passage to the cases of Nyonya gold, silver and pearl jewellery.
- 5
Chung Keng Kwee Ancestral Temple
📍 Adjoining temple in the compound
Finish at the Kapitan's family temple with his statue and family portraits.
What are the must-see works at Pinang Peranakan Mansion?
5 highlights that define the collection: Central courtyard and airwell, Straits Chinese jewellery gallery, Chung Keng Kwee Ancestral Temple and more.
Central courtyard and airwell
Straits Eclectic architecture · 1890s
📍 Ground floor
The heart of Hai Kee Chan: carved and gilded timber screens, Scottish cast-iron work and English ceramic floor tiles arranged around an open airwell that lights and cools the house.
Straits Chinese jewellery gallery
Straits Chinese jewellery · Peter Soon collection
📍 Rear wing, via the back passage
Gold, silver and pearl Straits Chinese jewellery from the founder's collection, displayed in a gallery reached through a passage behind the main mansion.
Chung Keng Kwee Ancestral Temple
Built for Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee
📍 Adjoining temple in the mansion compound
The Kapitan's family temple, with a statue of Chung in Qing official's robes on a dark-wood and gilt altar, surrounded by portraits of his family.
Tok panjang dining setting
Peranakan dining tradition
The grand long dining table (tok panjang) typical of Peranakan homes, set with the porcelain and tableware of a wealthy Baba household.
Upstairs bedrooms
Late 19th–early 20th-century furnishings
📍 Upper floor
Bedrooms furnished with antique brass beds from Britain and beaded slippers in glass cases, evoking the private life of a Baba family.
Collections and highlights
- • More than 1,000 Peranakan antiques and collectibles
- • Straits Chinese gold, silver and pearl jewellery
- • Carved and gilded Chinese timber panels and screens
- • Scottish cast-iron work and Stoke-on-Trent floor tiles
- • Peranakan porcelain and tok panjang dining ware
- • Bridal and bedroom furnishings
- • Chung Keng Kwee Ancestral Temple
Tips for visiting Pinang Peranakan Mansion
- 1.
Best time to visit
Open every day including public holidays. Come near the 9:30 AM opening for the quietest courtyard, or use it as an indoor stop during George Town's midday heat and afternoon showers.
- 2.
Tickets & booking
Pay at the door: RM30 adults, RM18 children aged 6–12, under-6s free. No timed booking is needed; ask at the counter about the complimentary tour.
- 3.
Accessibility
A two-storey 19th-century house whose bedrooms and upper galleries are reached by stairs. The official site gives no step-free access information, so call +60 4-264 2929 before visiting with a wheelchair.
- 4.
Photography rules
Photography and videography are not allowed inside the mansion; commercial use of any images needs written consent. Photograph the green facade and forecourt from Church Street instead.
How do you get to Pinang Peranakan Mansion?
- walk In George Town's UNESCO core on Church Street (Lebuh Gereja) — about 10 minutes on foot from the Weld Quay (Pengkalan Weld) ferry and bus terminal, and 5 minutes from the Penang State Museum on Farquhar Street
- bus Rapid Penang's free CAT (Central Area Transit) shuttle runs every 10–15 minutes, 6:00 AM – 11:45 PM; alight at the St George's Church stop and walk about 5 minutes
- taxi Grab and taxis can drop off on Church Street; street parking in the heritage core is limited
Address: 29 Church Street (Lebuh Gereja), 10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Pinang Peranakan Mansion: frequently asked questions
How much are tickets to the Pinang Peranakan Mansion?
The official website lists adult admission at RM30 and children aged 6–12 at RM18, while children under six enter free. There is no separate rate for foreign visitors. Tickets are bought at the entrance on Church Street with no advance booking needed, and the mansion says complimentary tours are available, so ask at the counter when the next one starts.
How long should I spend at the Pinang Peranakan Mansion?
Plan 1–1.5 hours for the highlights of Pinang Peranakan Mansion. Our 5-stop route — Central courtyard and airwell, Reception halls and tok panjang, Upstairs bedrooms and more — is designed to fit that time. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
Can I take photos inside the mansion?
No. The mansion's official visitor rules state that photography and videography are not allowed inside, and that commercial use of any images needs written consent from the management. Food and drink are also prohibited and security cameras cover the rooms. You can still photograph the green facade, the iron-lace verandah and the forecourt from Church Street.
Who built the Pinang Peranakan Mansion?
It was built in the 1890s as Hai Kee Chan, the residence and office of Chung Keng Kwee (also spelled Chung Keng Quee), Kapitan Cina of Perak and one of the richest men in late-19th-century Penang. He bought the site in 1893. Chung was Hakka rather than Peranakan, but his courtyard house closely resembles a large Baba home of the period.
Is this the same as the Blue Mansion?
No. The Pinang Peranakan Mansion is the green mansion at 29 Church Street and focuses on Peranakan domestic life. The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, known as the Blue Mansion, is a different 19th-century house on Leith Street run separately with its own tours. Both sit in George Town's heritage core and can be combined in one day.
How do I get to the Pinang Peranakan Mansion?
The mansion is on Church Street (Lebuh Gereja) in the UNESCO-listed core of George Town, about ten minutes on foot from the Weld Quay ferry and bus terminal. Rapid Penang's free CAT shuttle loops the heritage zone every 10–15 minutes, and its St George's Church stop is a short walk away. Grab cars can drop off on Church Street.
What should I look for in the architecture?
The house is a Straits Eclectic mansion that combines a Chinese courtyard plan and carved, gilded timber panels with imported Scottish cast-iron work and English floor tiles from Stoke-on-Trent. It was originally painted white and was repainted in its now-famous green during restoration. The central courtyard, lit by an open airwell, is the building's showpiece.
When is the best time to visit?
The mansion is open every day, including public holidays, from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Arriving near opening time gives the calmest look at the courtyard and upstairs rooms. As an indoor museum it also works well during George Town's midday heat or an afternoon downpour. Allow time to combine it with the Penang State Museum, five minutes away, except on Fridays.
Is Pinang Peranakan Mansion open on Mondays?
Yes — Pinang Peranakan Mansion is open every day of the week, including Mondays and Sundays: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM (open on public holidays). Check the official website for holiday hours.
What are Pinang Peranakan Mansion's opening hours?
Pinang Peranakan Mansion is open daily, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM (open on public holidays). Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go.
Is Pinang Peranakan Mansion free to visit?
Not for everyone. Standard admission: RM30 for adults; RM18 for children aged 6–12. Free or reduced entry: Children under 6 free.
