National Art Gallery Kuala Lumpur (Balai Seni Lukis)

Location: Kuala Lumpur

Location Info

Address: No. 2, Jalan Termeloh, Off Jalan Tun Razak, 53200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Office Number: +603 4025 4990 / 4026 7000
Opening Hours: 10:00am - 06:00pm (daily)

District » City Centre

Location

The National Art Gallery is located along Jalan Temerloh on a 5.67-hectare land. The gallery has a unique architecture which is inspired by the traditional Malay architecture and incorporated with contemporary touch to it makes the gallery one of the most modern art venues in the region.

Overview

Under the initiative of the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, the National Art Gallery was established on 28th August 1958. The gallery had a humble beginning of only four artworks which were donated and was housed at a borrowed space at the Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman before the gallery was located at its current permanent location. As of today, there are over 2500 pieces of artwork which are permanently housed in the gallery.

There are also rotation of exhibitions of Asian and international art at the gallery. Built with aesthetic value and practicality in mind, the art gallery creates space and opportunity for development, preservation, experimentation and exploration of various forms of art in Malaysia. It is the hub for the gathering of arts, crafts and cultural items. Beside the National Art Gallery is the National Theatre (Istana Budaya) which is the main venue for many local and international performances like musical theatre, operetta, opera and so on.

The National Theatre was initiated to heighten the standard of performing arts, to encourage high quality theatre productions, to develop artistic excellence in theatre and also to cultivate artistic appreciation towards performing arts. Just a short walk away from the National Art Gallery is the Titiwangsa Lake Gardens (Taman Tasik Titiwangsa). Here is a place for recreational and outdoor activities. You can also take time to enjoy the beautiful view and lush greenery while enjoying food which is sold at the edge of the lake.

Transport

The easiest way to get to the National Art Gallery is via taxi or driving here. You can also reach the park via the STAR LRT and stop at the Titiwangsa Station. Upon reaching the station, you can walk towards the National Art Gallery.