All activities / Museums & Galleries / Bandar Seri Begawan
Museums & Galleries in Bandar Seri Begawan
The compact capital of Brunei on the north bank of the Brunei River, a city of golden-domed mosques and government buildings facing the Kampong Ayer water village, home to the lavish Royal Regalia Museum that tells the story of the reigning Sultan.
Why here
To understand Brunei you have to understand its monarchy, and the Royal Regalia Museum in the middle of the capital lays it out in gold. Housed in a domed building on Jalan Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien, it displays the ceremonial regalia of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs, including the gilded royal chariot and the crowns, spears and jewelled objects paraded at his 1968 coronation, alongside a hall of state gifts from around the world. The museum opened in 1992 to mark the silver jubilee of the Sultan's accession, converted from the former Churchill Memorial Building of 1971. It is free, air-conditioned and central, an easy anchor for a city walk that takes in the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and the waterfront across from Kampong Ayer.
Best months
The museum is open daily except Friday mornings, when it closes for prayers, and asks visitors to remove shoes and leave bags at the entrance, with no photography inside the main regalia hall. It is fully indoors and cool, so it works in any weather and pairs well with the nearby mosque and waterfront. Note that Brunei's other national museums, the Brunei Museum and the Malay Technology Museum, have been closed for extended renovation.
Getting there & around
The Royal Regalia Museum sits in the centre of Bandar Seri Begawan within walking distance of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the waterfront and the water-taxi jetties for Kampong Ayer. Entry is free; dress modestly, remove shoes at the door and expect airport-style security. The city is small and walkable, and a taxi or the local bus reaches it easily from the hotels.
Skill levels: beginner
Schools & guides (1)
Royal Regalia Museum
OrganizerThe Royal Regalia Museum, Muzium Alat Kebesaran Diraja, is Brunei's national museum of monarchy in the centre of Bandar Seri Begawan, opened on 30 September 1992 to mark the silver jubilee of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's accession and converted from the 1971 Churchill Memorial Building. It displays the gilded royal chariot, the crowns and regalia used at the 1968 coronation, and a hall of state gifts, under a golden dome in the Melayu Islam Beraja style. Admission is free.