Gallery openings are always exciting, but even more rewarding is witnessing one take shape over time. For those who have watched the KLCC skyline evolve in recent years, Ombak KLCC has become a familiar sight. Inspired by the fluid form of waves and defined by its dramatic cantilevered design, the building has steadily risen to become a new landmark in Kuala Lumpur.
As it nears completion, Galeri PETRONAS – Ombak KLCC's flagship occupant – is preparing to begin a fresh chapter within its striking new home.
Ombak KLCC will hold its official opening in late August.
For art enthusiasts, the debut of the expanded Galeri PETRONAS is another milestone worth anticipating.
Occupying four floors, the gallery will include a rooftop space dedicated to art installations.
Phased launch begins
Its opening will be phased, beginning with The First Glimpse, a pop-up exhibition on the ground floor this month that offers a preview of the new Galeri PETRONAS space at Ombak KLCC.
During the run of The First Glimpse, the Galeri Cafe, Galeri Shop and dedicated art programme space will also be progressively introduced.
"Through interactive moments, we invite you to feel the pulse of this new space, to explore, reflect and engage with an exhibition that grows alongside us. You will witness a gallery in transition, evolving through three distinct lenses: Institutional, Interpersonal and Respirational," outlines a description of The First Glimpse exhibition.
"Galeri PETRONAS is still evolving, and this early chapter of our new home will not stay the same for long. The ground floor experience will continue to grow and transform over time. What you see now – open, in progress and full of possibility – exists only in this moment. Early visitors will experience the gallery differently: more closely, more personally, and as part of a story still taking shape."
Watch it unfold
Details of the main exhibitions will be announced in due course. Together, they will take visitors through six thematic stages: Prologue, Spirit and Form, Nature & Nationhood, Iconic Installation, Memory and Intervention and Emerging Pluralities Map.
As one of the nation's leading visual arts institutions, Galeri PETRONAS will engage the public throughout its transition to Ombak KLCC, culminating in its full launch next year.
In the coming months, public programmes and activities will be central to the gallery’s vision, reconnecting with existing audiences while engaging a new generation of visitors.
For more than three decades, Galeri PETRONAS has been a key force in Malaysia’s visual arts landscape, supporting homegrown artists and introducing Kuala Lumpur audiences to acclaimed international exhibitions. Established in 1992 at the Dayabumi Complex, the gallery first opened its doors there before relocating to Suria KLCC in 1998, where it spent over two decades presenting modern and contemporary art exhibitions.
Following a temporary closure in 2021 during the pandemic, Galeri PETRONAS reopened at Suria KLCC in 2025 with renewed programmes before closing its doors there last month, paving the way for its next phase at Ombak KLCC.
