As the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur features the National Museum, the country’s main history museum. However, its best museum is the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. Despite its name, the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia features a large collection of historical artifacts from across the Islamic world including weapons, ceramics, and copies of the Islamic holy book Koran.
The Islamic arts museum is housed in an unassuming rectangular building near the Kuala Lumpur’s Lake Garden/ Perdana Botanical Gardens. Once you step in, you will find a modern, spacious and beautiful interior, with several domes with elaborate patterns on the ceilings.
The museum features 12 permanent galleries ranging from books to art to textiles, as well as specific exhibits on Indian, Malay and Chinese artifacts. The latter might seem strange though there are Muslim minorities in China. I was particularly impressed by the Mughal India daggers and swords; a gallery with large models of famous mosques across the world; as well as a display of colorful Central Asian clothing that is significantly different than other Islamic cultures.
There is enough on display to take up at least a couple of hours. Not surprisingly, it is the largest Islamic museum in Southeast Asia. It is one of the best museums in Southeast Asia I’ve been to.
How to get here: The museum is near the National Mosque and within walking distance of two stations, Pasar Seni (Kelana Jaya (5) and Sungai Buloh-Kajang (9) Rapid KL lines) and Kuala Lumpur Station (KTM Komuter lines 1 and 2).
19th-century Royal Koran from Terranganu, Malaysia
Kiswa (door curtain of the Kaaba, the cuboid structure in Mecca that is Islam’s holiest site), which draped the Kaaba in 1964. It features calligraphic inscriptions of prayers and Koran verses.
Miniature Koran
Mughal India dagger and jade scabbard, 1700 AD, with an 18th-century dagger on the right
19th century woman’s coat from Turkmenistan, 18th-century plate from Uzbekistan
18th-century women’s headdresses, Central Asia
Mughal India daggers, 18th century 
Mughal India daggers and scrolls, 17th and 18th century
Scale model of the Qubba Mosque, Medina, Saudi Arabia
19th-century marble fountain 
