Borneo Cultures Museum draws over 54,000 visitors in Q1 2026, surpasses 1.59 mln since opening

Borneo Cultures Museum in Kuching, Sarawak.

By Shikin Louis & Amanda Ladang

KUCHING, April 21: The Borneo Cultures Museum (BCM) continues to strengthen its position as a leading cultural attraction, recording 54,036 visitors in the first three months of 2026 alone.

Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the figure brings the museum’s cumulative total to 1,594,170 visitors since it opened on March 9, 2022.

“More impressively, BCM has become a global destination, having received visitors from 163 countries.

“To date, it has recorded more than 83,525 international visitors, clearly showing that Sarawak’s heritage narrative has strong competitive appeal on the global stage,” he said when speaking during the launch of the Brooke Dockyard Industrial Heritage Museum in the city centre last night (April 20).

Abdul Karim speaks during the opening of the Brooke Dockyard Industrial Heritage Museum on April 20, 2026. Photo credit: Sarawak Information Department (Japen).

Beyond BCM, Abdul Karim noted that Sarawak currently has 19 museums and galleries operating Statewide, including the Islamic Heritage Museum, Chinese History Museum, Petroleum Museum in Miri, Sri Aman Heritage Museum and Baram Regional Museum.

“Altogether, all museums and galleries under the Sarawak Museum Department (JMS) recorded 93,858 visitors in the first quarter of 2026,” he stated.

He further said museums today are no longer limited to permanent exhibitions, but also play an important role in connecting local communities with world-class art and installations.

He highlighted collaborations with United Kingdom-based artist Luke Jerram, whose large-scale 3D installations such as Museum of the Moon (Bulan), Gaia (Bumi) and Helios (Matahari) have drawn significant public interest and attracted thousands of visitors.

He added that Sarawak’s museums are also evolving into intellectual hubs through strategic global collaborations with organisations such as media giant National Geographic, the British Museum and the University of Debrecen in Hungary.

He also said regional cooperation has also strengthened this ecosystem, with close partnerships established with the National Gallery Singapore, Malay Heritage Centre and Heritage Conservation Centre of Singapore, alongside various local institutions. — DayakDaily