When in the sleepy town of Sungai Lembing, do plan a visit to the Sungai Lembing Museum. The museum was officially opened on 23rd April 2005 to showcase the illustrious past of Sungai Lembing town, a town built on the mining activities for tin ore from one of the largest underground tin mines in the world.

A walk up the hill to the museum.

The museum is housed in a two storey building (mansion) built on a hill. It was formerly the residence of managers working at the tin mining companies in Sungai Lembing; Pahang Corporation Limited and the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited during the town’s hay day as the richest town and the biggest producer of tin ore in the state of Pahang.

The entrance to the Sungai Lembing Museum.

The building is a vernacular colonial architectural styled building beginning as a small building with roofs made of palm fronds and its wall of tree bark. It was renovated several times from 1911 to 1966 under various administrations. It also became the headquarters of the Japanese forces during World War 2.

Entrance to another section of the museum.

Old Photos

Old photographs in the museum shows of a time when Sungai Lembing was a tin mining powerhouse; a reminder of what once was. Visitors also get to see how it was like living back in the day with items from past on display here.

Old photos showing what life was like back in the day.

Photos of workers and those associated with the mines back then.

Displays

A big part of the museum tells about the mining activities with a variety of things on display such as the tools used, different types of rocks and minerals, safety equipment, office equipment, etc. that were used by the miners.

Sand and tin ore from the mines.

Some of the types of rocks and minerals found in the mines.

Quartz from the mines.

Some of the minerals and rocks from the mines.

The processes from rocks to tin.

A portion of the museum has been turned into a replica of the tunnels where mining activities were once done. The area includes rails where miners used to ride on and send tin ore back out into the open, machinery used to drill and retrieve tin ore, communications equipment used in the mines, etc.

A railcar in an area that has been turned into a section of a tunnel in the mines.

“Tin ore being moved in the tunnels.”

The museum also houses a replica of the room and living quarters of the people who used to manage the mines here. On display are old antique furniture, an old radio, old fan, old sewing machine, and even the bathroom and toilet.

A replica of a bedroom that probably belonged to one of the heads of the company.

Some of the old office equipment.

Other than items related to the mining industry, on display are also things used by the folks who used to live here. Things such as old toys, items used by the fire department then, items used by the St. John’s Ambulance, etc.

An old communication device used back in the day.

Old volt metres.

An old bell.

Old machinery.

An old tricycle.

An old stretcher used by the St John’s Ambulance back in the day.

Small But Worth A Visit

The Sungai Lembing Museum is a small museum but it certainly is worth a visit especially for those who love to learn and take home a bit of the history of places that they visit.