To our surprise, the Wonder Food Museum is not only an endless display of 3D cuisine. Interesting facts, interactive displays, and life-size food props make the experience mind-blowing!
We strolled in around 3pm and came out hungry two hours later! Read more about our time here below!
About Wonder Food Museum
Along Jalan Lebuh Pantai Georgetown, and next to CIMB Bank, this museum opened in June 2016 and has won many awards over the years.
They have the Certificate of Excellence 2017 by Trip Advisor. In the same year, this award-winning attraction received the INPENANG Top Museum Award.
The unique museum features realistic, oversized foods created by owner Sean Lao. Here, you can see his exquisite food replication technique from Japan.
There are three galleries in the museum – the Info Zone, the Wow Zone and the Educational Zone.
The Wow Zone features gargantuan-sized replicas of Malaysian food from various states. While the other two zones present fun facts about everything food related.
Entrance Fees
The entrance fees for the museum depend on when you go. We visited during school holidays. And since this is a peak period, we ended up paying more.
Ticket Prices For Those With My Kad:
- Adult: RM20
- Senior / child of 3 – 12 years old / student: RM12
Ticket Prices For Those Without My Kad:
- Adult: RM30
- Senior / child of 3 – 12 years old / student: RM20
Note: Debit and credit card payments are not accepted.
Professional photos taken by the museum staff cost RM25 for a large print out. And RM15 for the smaller ones. If you insist on a digital photo, it costs RM50 for 3 photos.
Our Experience
Minimalist styling of the tiny, double-story shop lot puts exhibits in the limelight. The narrow entrance features the historical food exhibits.
We liked the oversized replicas of Oh Chien (fried oysters with egg) and Nasi lemak. They’re very realistic (and droolworthy).
There is information on the walls to feed your curiosity about the origins of these dishes. We think that the dioramas on the history of food in Penang are top notch and the attention to detail is worth ogling at.
Another display that drew our attention was a photo booth with oversized traditional kuih.
You can take photos together with your favorite kuih. Whether it’s an onde-onde, kuih tayap, kuih talam or other delicacies.
And not far from the entrance, there is an area where the staff prompts you to pose with various props. These include 2 woks with mee goreng in the air and gravity-defying teh tarik. These props have a great dramatic effect and are perfect for a cheeky family portrait!
There was another exhibit that we liked. Which was the depiction of sugar content in everyday foods. It’s definitely an eye-opener to learn how much sugar we consume daily.
Additionally, we visited a room that displayed the world’s most expensive foods. Including caviar, truffles, edible gold and more.
And there was even a section in the museum dedicated to world hunger and food waste. It serves as a good reminder to be more aware of our eating habits.
Besides this, there was also a series of fun facts in the form of question boxes. These are on the wall with answers displayed in each box.
Overall, the museum is well curated, and the exhibits are cohesive. Because of this, your fascination won’t wane for a moment.
And when we descended the stairs to exit the museum, we were surprised to see information onwhere to find the great food in the city!
Facilities In The Museum
Do note that the toilet on the ground floor is wheelchair accessible. But there is no lift access for the disabled to go up to the higher floor.
Thus, this place isn’t suitable for OKUs and people with walking disabilities.
Getting There
We drove here. And while there is street parking along Jalan Lebuh Pantai Georgetown, but not much to begin with.
We chose to park at the multi-level car park (Beach Street MPP Complex) 100m away from the museum. The parking rate was RM1 per hour.
Note: If you have your own car, we do recommend that you download the Penang Smart Parking app. This is a convenient way to pay for street parking. You can use the same app for some multi-story car parks in Penang too.
Conclusion
Entering this world of super-sized food is an unforgettable experience. We learnt a lot about Malaysian food. And had a lot of fun taking photos with life-size food replicas at Wonder Food Museum.
A fair warning though, you will be thinking of food (like us) when you leave this museum.
Other Museums In Penang
Plentiful visuals and hands-on experience make for an interesting outing for adults and kids. See more museums in Penang that are fun for the family.
Food To Try In Penang
After a visit to this museum, you may very well want to eat. We suggest checking our suggestions on what to eat in Penang to soothe your cravings!