Author(s)

NURUL ALIA AHAMAD, NOR HAYATI HUSSAIN

Abstract

Inconsistent and incomprehensible documentation of the Kuala Lumpur’s Royal Museum will lead to a disconnected narrative of its history. The museum, transformed from a mansion into the National Palace and eventually the Royal Museum, was once a symbol of the nation’s unity, strength and governance. It held significant events; coronations, births, funerals, weddings, etc., among other ceremonies that were exclusively dedicated to the occupants and guests, but were inaccessible to the public. Devoid of proper documentation and curation, information of the events will remain unknown and eventually vanish. The thrust of this paper presents efforts to map out moments in the former National Palace since its inception with the purpose of recording its memories for posterity. The study aims to collate and document intangible qualities of the palace to complement a measured drawing exercise conducted by the School of Architecture, Building and Design, Taylor’s University. It surveys photographic evidence sourced from the Royal Museum, National Archive and libraries, National Museum and personnel from the palace. This documentation, which is part of an ongoing research project, is the first comprehensive study of the former National Palace. It will eventually be digitized to serve as a historical, educational and public reference concerning the palace, in perpetuity as a national treasure.

Keywords

National Palace, Malaysia, memory, history, photography