Kuala Lumpur is set to welcome a new cultural institution in September with the opening of the Peranakan and Straits Chinese Museum on Jalan Ampang, which is already attracting the attention of passersby as renovation works near completion.

The project involves the adaptive reuse of the historic Teo Chew Association building, transforming it into a museum space.

The upcoming opening follows the recent launch of the Downtown Kuala Lumpur Grants Programme 2026 by Think City, where several artefacts from the museum’s collection were showcased.

These included an original Henri Marseille roof tile design manufactured by Sacoman Freres and recovered from the building’s attic and a rare Peranakan publication in Baba Malay, Khien Loong Koon Yew Kong Lam, published in 1931.

Museum director and chief curator Oliver Lee, 44, said the artefacts were uncovered during the restoration process, noting that the building had been vacant for more than a decade.

“The Straits Eclectic-style building comprises approximately 1,300 sq m of built-up space across three storeys. It was built in 1911 by Choo Kia Peng, a prominent businessman and political figure during the British colonial era, as a private villa for entertaining distinguished guests while also serving as his residence. In 1928, it hosted the grand wedding reception of his daughter, one of the most significant events in the building’s early history,” says Lee in a recent interview.

“In 1929, Kia Peng sold the property to the Teo Chew Association, which established its headquarters there. The building subsequently served as a venue for community activities and housed a free school and charitable medical clinic for the wider public,” he adds.

The Melaka-born Lee, an avid antiques collector and dealer, was awarded the 2024 Kreatif KL Grants Programme under the Space Rejuvenation category for the project.

“For many years, I dreamed of establishing a museum that would serve not only as a repository of beautiful artefacts, but also as a centre for research, education a...