Royal Selangor has opened a new gallery and visitor centre within the historic Sultan Abdul Samad Building, marking a significant moment for one of Malaysia’s longest-standing heritage brands. Officially launched on 5 February 2026 in the presence of DYMM the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the opening follows the building’s broader restoration and reopening at the end of January.
Occupying more than 8,000 square feet, the Royal Selangor Gallery situates the pewter maker’s 140-year history within the larger narrative of Kuala Lumpur itself — a city founded on tin, trade and enterprise.
A Shared Origin In Tin
Few materials are as closely tied to Kuala Lumpur’s beginnings as tin. Established in 1857 as a tin-mining settlement at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers, the city’s early prosperity was built on the industry.
In 1885, founder Yong Koon arrived in Kuala Lumpur and began crafting pewter from the same material that shaped the city’s fortunes. Over the decades, what began as a modest workshop evolved into Royal Selangor, now internationally recognised for its pewter craftsmanship. Housing the gallery within the Sultan Abdul Samad Building — itself funded in part by tin revenues and completed in 1897 — brings these parallel histories into direct conversation.
An Immersive Passage Through Time
The museum and gallery are organised across six eras, spanning the 1800s to the present day. Early pieces by Yong Koon — including Chinese altar items and domestic wares created for both local and Western markets — sit alongside later collaborations with institutions such as Muzium Negara, the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
An interactive feature wall maps the changing forms and functions of pewter over two centuries, from utilitarian objects to contemporary collectibles. A striking centrepiece — pewter water lilies inspired by those at the National Monument — pays tribute to a 1966 gift presented by the Yong family to Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman.
A Contemporary Addition To A Historic Landmark
Beyond display, the gallery also invites participation. The School of Hard Knocks workshop places visitors at the workbench, where they shape a flat sheet of pewter into a bowl using traditional hand tools. The exercise underscores the discipline and precision required of the craft — a reminder that the craft remains as much about skill as design.
The experience concludes at a top-floor café overlooking Dataran Merdeka, Masjid Jamek and the riverside precinct — offering a vantage point over the very district where Kuala Lumpur took shape. A curated retail space completes the journey, presenting Royal Selangor’s contemporary collections within a clean, restrained interior.
With its copper domes and Moorish arches, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building has long stood as a witness to Malaysia’s defining moments. The addition of the Royal Selangor Gallery adds another layer to its story — one rooted in material, memory and the enduring legacy of tin.
(Images: Royal Selangor)
