Langkawi: Galeria Perdana
What is it like to be Prime Minister of a country, and for 22 years? Well, you get plenty of gifts. And I mean plenty! Our former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, received countless gifts and awards during his tenure, he has to place them in a special building.
It is only apt that Tun Mahathir showcases all these gifts, souvenirs and awards from world leaders, statesmen, and ordinary Malaysians, presented to him and/or his wife at Galeria Perdana. After all, he believes that these collections belong to the people of Malaysia.
The “gallery”, which is like a palace, designed by his brother-in-law, the brother of wife Tun Siti Hasmah, consists of three-interconnected double-storey oriental-style buildings.
Galeria Perdana is situated in Kilim, about 11km north of Kuah Town. There are more than 2000 items from around the world on display. In fact, the collections consist of more than 9000 items. Therefore, these items are displayed by rotation to ensure that each visit to Galeria Perdana remains fresh.
The collections, which range from an item as small as a ring, to something as large as a boat, are displayed according to categories, which then determine which Block of building they go to.
Besides checking out the exhibits, don’t forget to check out the ceilings too. I understand that the ceiling of the main hall took craftsmen from Uzbekistan six months to complete.
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