Ranee Museum
Photo: 馬姥 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Ranee Museum in Kuching, Malaysia — the Ranee Museum, in Kuching's 19th-century Old Court House, is a permanent exhibition on Margaret Brooke, the first Ranee of Sarawak, who married Rajah Charles Brooke in 1869. Open daily, 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM, including public holidays. Admission: RM10 for local visitors; RM20 for international visitors (Explorer Pass with the Brooke Gallery: RM15 local, RM30 international). Allow 45 minutes.
Visitor information last reviewed 22 October 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
Ranee Museum at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM, including public holidays |
|---|---|
| Admission | RM10 for local visitors; RM20 for international visitors (Explorer Pass with the Brooke Gallery: RM15 local, RM30 international) |
| Free or reduced entry | Children under 7 free · Concession tickets RM5 (eligible groups not published online) · Explorer Pass covering the Brooke Gallery: RM15 local, RM30 international |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 45 minutes |
| Best time to visit | Any day, including public holidays, from 9:00 AM; start by early afternoon if you also want the Brooke Gallery across the river before both close at 4:45 PM. |
| Getting there | Walk: Block D of the Old Court House on Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, a stop on the Old Kuching Heritage Trail within walking distance of the Kuching Waterfront |
| Address | Block D, The Old Courthouse, Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia |
| Official website | brookegallery.org |
Checked 2026-10-22 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is Ranee Museum known for?
The Ranee Museum is devoted to Margaret Brooke, born Margaret de Windt in Paris in 1849, who married Charles Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak, at Highworth in Wiltshire on 28 October 1869 and became the first Ranee of Sarawak. Charles built the Astana across the river as a bridal gift in 1870 and later named Fort Margherita after her. She composed Sarawak's anthem, Gone Forth Beyond the Sea, in 1872, lost her first three children within a week of each other in 1873, and later described her years in the country in My Life in Sarawak, published in 1913.
The museum is one of two Brooke Museums run in Kuching by the Brooke Heritage Trust, alongside the Brooke Gallery at Fort Margherita. Its permanent exhibition follows Margaret's journey to a sense of purpose and identity in Sarawak that she had not found elsewhere. It presents her as a champion of women's education at home and an ambassador abroad, close to the people she came to regard as her own, and as an artist who expressed herself through painting, music, literature and craft. The centrepiece is her personal collection of Sarawak textiles, including fine songket and keringkam embroidery, shown to inspire today's artisans.
The museum occupies Block D of the Old Court House on Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg. Sarawak Tourism dates the complex to 1871, when it replaced an earlier wooden court house as the seat of Sarawak's government, a role it kept until 1973; the Council Negeri met here from its fifth meeting in 1878. The buildings have belian (ironwood) roofs and colonnaded outer galleries, and the colonial-baroque clock tower was added in 1883. A memorial to Rajah Charles Brooke has stood in the entrance square since 1924, and Brooke family heirlooms donated by the Trust's director, Jason Brooke, have been on permanent display in the complex since 2018.
The museum opens daily, including public holidays, from 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM. Tickets cost RM10 for local visitors and RM20 for international visitors, with RM5 concessions and free entry for children under seven. The Explorer Pass, RM15 local or RM30 international, adds the Brooke Gallery inside Fort Margherita on the opposite bank of the Sarawak River, where the wider story of the Brooke dynasty is told. The Old Court House is a stop on the Old Kuching Heritage Trail, within walking distance of the Waterfront and the Chinese History Museum.
Best for: History Enthusiasts · Art Lovers · Architecture Enthusiasts
What are the must-see works at Ranee Museum?
4 highlights that define the collection: Ranee Margaret's songket, Keringkam embroidery, Old Court House clock tower and more.
Ranee Margaret's songket
Sarawak songket weaving · Ranee Margaret's personal collection
📍 Ranee Museum, Block D
Woven songket from the Ranee's own collection, which the museum describes as among the finest examples of the craft and presents as inspiration for today's weavers.
Keringkam embroidery
Sarawak keringkam embroidery · Ranee Margaret's personal collection
📍 Ranee Museum, Block D
Embroidered keringkam from the Ranee's own collection; the museum credits her appreciation of local craft skills for these pieces surviving to be shown today.
Old Court House clock tower
Colonial-baroque architecture · 1883
📍 Old Court House entrance
The clock tower added in 1883 to the court house that served as the seat of Sarawak's government until 1973.
Charles Brooke Memorial
Memorial · 1924
📍 Entrance square of the Old Court House
A memorial to Rajah Charles Brooke, Margaret's husband, erected in 1924 in the square in front of the court house.
Collections and highlights
- • Life of Margaret Brooke, first Ranee of Sarawak
- • Songket from the Ranee's personal collection
- • Keringkam embroidery
- • Women's education and the Ranee's public role
- • The Old Court House complex (1870s) and its 1883 clock tower
Tips for visiting Ranee Museum
- 1.
Best time to visit
Any day, including public holidays, from 9:00 AM; start by early afternoon if you also want the Brooke Gallery across the river before both close at 4:45 PM.
- 2.
Tickets & booking
No online booking is offered: tickets are RM10 local, RM20 international, RM5 concession, under-7s free. Tour and school groups can email [email protected].
- 3.
Accessibility
No accessibility information is published; contact the museum before visiting.
- 4.
Photography rules
No photography policy is published. Ask before photographing the textiles and avoid flash; the clock tower and memorial can be photographed freely outside.
How do you get to Ranee Museum?
- walk Block D of the Old Court House on Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, a stop on the Old Kuching Heritage Trail within walking distance of the Kuching Waterfront
- boat To continue to the Brooke Gallery on the Explorer Pass, cross the Sarawak River by penambang water taxi from the Waterfront jetties to Fort Margherita
- taxi Grab or taxi to the Old Court House, Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93000 Kuching
Address: Block D, The Old Courthouse, Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Sources we checked
Visitor facts and history on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown.
- Brooke Museums | The Rajahs of Sarawak — Brooke Museums (Brooke Heritage Trust), checked 22 October 2026
- Margaret Brooke — Wikipedia, checked 22 October 2026
- Fort Margherita — Wikipedia, checked 22 October 2026
- Old Kuching Heritage Trail (archived 2019) — Sarawak Tourism Board, checked 22 October 2026
- Kuching Old Courthouse — Wikipedia, checked 22 October 2026
- Fort Margherita (Sarawak Tourism, archived 2019) — Sarawak Tourism Board, checked 22 October 2026
- Kuching Old Courthouse (Q28043591) — Wikidata, checked 22 October 2026
Ranee Museum: frequently asked questions
How much is the entrance fee for the Ranee Museum?
Brooke Museums, the Brooke Heritage Trust's visitor site, lists tickets at RM10 for local visitors and RM20 for international ('global') visitors. Concession tickets cost RM5, though the site does not say who qualifies, and children under seven enter free. The Explorer Pass, which also covers the Brooke Gallery at Fort Margherita, costs RM15 for locals and RM30 for international visitors.
Where is the Ranee Museum and how do I get there?
The museum is in Block D of the Old Court House on Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93000 Kuching, in the heart of the old town. The Old Court House is on the Old Kuching Heritage Trail, whose sites Sarawak Tourism describes as lying within walking distance of each other, so most of central Kuching, including the Waterfront, is close by on foot; Grab and taxis can also drop you at the complex.
How long should I spend at the Ranee Museum?
Plan 45 minutes for the highlights of Ranee Museum. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
What are the highlights of the Ranee Museum?
The centrepiece is Ranee Margaret's personal collection of Sarawak textiles, which the museum describes as the finest examples of songket weaving and keringkam embroidery, shown as inspiration for today's artisans. Around them, the exhibition tells her story as a champion of women's education, an ambassador for Sarawak abroad, and a painter, musician and writer. Outside, see the Old Court House clock tower and the Charles Brooke Memorial.
Can I take photos inside the Ranee Museum?
The Brooke Museums website does not publish a photography policy. Follow any signs, ask staff before photographing the textiles, and avoid flash, which can damage old songket and embroidery. The Old Court House's clock tower, colonnades and the Charles Brooke Memorial in the entrance square can be photographed freely from the public areas of the complex.
Who was Ranee Margaret of Sarawak?
Margaret Brooke, born Margaret de Windt in Paris in 1849, married Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah, on 28 October 1869 and became the first Ranee of Sarawak, holding the title until 1917. She composed Sarawak's anthem, Gone Forth Beyond the Sea, in 1872 and wrote My Life in Sarawak (1913). Charles named Fort Margherita after her and built the Astana as a bridal gift. She died in London in 1936.
Can I combine the Ranee Museum with the Brooke Gallery?
Yes. Both are run as Brooke Museums, and the Explorer Pass covers the Ranee Museum and the Brooke Gallery inside Fort Margherita for RM15 (local) or RM30 (international). The fort is on the north bank of the Sarawak River; Sarawak Tourism recommends crossing by penambang water taxi from the Waterfront jetties. Both open daily, including public holidays, from 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM.
Is Ranee Museum open on Mondays?
Yes — Ranee Museum is open every day of the week, including Mondays and Sundays: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM, including public holidays. Check the official website for holiday hours.
What are Ranee Museum's opening hours?
Ranee Museum is open daily, 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM, including public holidays. Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go.
Is Ranee Museum free to visit?
Not for everyone. Standard admission: RM10 for local visitors; RM20 for international visitors (Explorer Pass with the Brooke Gallery: RM15 local, RM30 international). Free or reduced entry: Children under 7 free; Concession tickets RM5 (eligible groups not published online); Explorer Pass covering the Brooke Gallery: RM15 local, RM30 international.
