The Telegraph Museum in Taiping does a decent job of showcasing the history and significance of telegraphs in Malaysia.
So, even if a museum on telegraphs doesn’t interest you, you can still learn a thing or two here. The museum is not large and should take under an hour for most visitors to see.
Read more on why we think the Telegraph Museum in Taiping is worth a visit!
Table of contents:
About Telegraph Museum
Behind the current POSLAJU post office in Taiping is a heritage building that was just as important in is heydays.
After a year plus of renovation beginning in late 2016, the Telegraph Museum now serves as a reminder of the past.
Visitors can come in to look at the exhibits. These include antique furniture, electronic equipment, and documents.
The exhibits continue outside the building as well and the Telegraph Museum is right next to Galeri Perbandaran Taiping.
Entrance Fees For The Telegraph Museum
The museum reopened in late 2022, after the pandemic and since then, entry is free. At the time of writing, there are no entrance fees imposed.
But entrances fees are written on the pamphlets the staff give out. And these start from RM8 per adult.
We don’t know when they will start charging entry fees again.
Opening Hours For The Telegraph Museum
The Telegraph Museum is open daily from 9am to 5pm. But it will be closed between 1pm to 2pm every day.
And on Fridays, this break period is extended to 2:45pm for prayers.
Ease Of Parking At Telegraph Museum
The Telegraph Museum does not have its own parking lot for visitors. But on a weekday, it is easy to find street parking nearby.
If you park somewhere around the front of the post office, you can walk through a small lane that leads to the Telegraph Museum.
What To See At Telegraph Museum
1. Outdoor Exhibit
At first glance, the outside of the Telegraph Museum just looks like a tidy garden to sit down and enjoy the greenery.
But this is actually part of the museum too.
You can see what old telephone booths used to look like (there is a difference between the pair on the grounds of the Telegraph Museum).
And outside, you can find a live specimen of gutta percha among other local trees. The trees have their respective labels which detail their main uses.
There are also old telegraph poles in the garden. As well as a large grinding wheel – its purpose and importance is clear once you have had a look at the indoor exhibits.
If you walk over to the compound of Galeri Perbandaran Taiping, you will see a beautiful suspended foot bridge (not for crossing) that was saved from Bukit Mertajam.
The history behind the bridge (plus its heritage value) is written on a placard stuck into the ground. You can find it on the right side of the bridge as seen from the garden in front of the Telegraph Museum.
2. Indoor Exhibit (Ground Floor)
The ground floor is where you will enter the Telegraph Museum. The staff will hand out pamphlets. Do be sure to look at the map in the pamphlet so that you can plan which exhibits you want to see.
Exhibits on the ground floor include the history of the building that houses the Telegraph Museum (plus the 2016-2017 restoration work) and some comparisons of this building with similar ones in Malaysia.
This is also where you can learn about (and use) Morse code, and how undersea internet cables are made.
There is an interactive exhibit, and it shows how undersea internet cables connect Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries.
3. Indoor Exhibit (Upper Floor)
Upstairs up a lovely wooden staircase are more exhibits.
The highlights (for us) on this upper floor are the antiques. There are telephone test kits, different models of old typewriters, telephones, receivers, and even a switchboard.
It would be nice if there were labels or diagrams on how these artifacts were used. Or where they were obtained.
Don’t forget to check out the massive cabinet at one end of the floor. It’s very old and it has immense historical value too.
Besides these, there are samples of telegraphs and other post-related documents that were once common.
A few of the exhibits explain why telegraphs were so important to the British during the British colonial period Malaysia.
Summary Of The Telegraph Museum
What we like:
- Entry is free/ affordable
- Indoor exhibits are house in a fully-airconditioned building
- Well-maintained premises
- Friendly staff
- Interesting collection of telegraph related artifacts
- They have a couple of interactive exhibits
What we don’t like:
- Exhibits don’t seem to be in chronological order (i.e., it is not clear where you should start)
- No guided tours available
Conclusion
Don’t miss the Telegraph Museum in Taiping. It’s small but there’s a lot of interesting exhibits (albeit not all are optimally presented) if you take the time to read more about them.
Moreover, it’s currently free to visit and the staff is friendly. Plus, the building is not only attractive – inside and out, but fully air-conditioned too.
Another nice museum to check out in Taiping is the Perak Museum. These are both rainproof places to discover in Taiping.
