Brooke Dockyard Industrial Heritage Museum showcasing Sarawak’s maritime legacy and early development under the White Rajahs is set to become a premier historical attraction in the state.
Located in the heart of the state capital, the museum features galleries housing original shipyard machinery and a replica of His Highness’ Yacht (HHY) Zahora, a vessel that once played a pivotal role in the state’s colonial administration.
Highlighting Sarawak’s industrial history, the Zahora, a 350-tonne vessel measuring some 40m in length, served the second and third Rajahs of Sarawak from 1896 to 1928.
During that period, the vessel acted as a vital link across the state’s vast river network, easing travel from Kuching to the interior and bringing the administration closer to the people.
The museum houses several key galleries providing a comprehensive overview of Sarawak’s evolution.
Among these is Revolution Gallery, which takes visitors through the state’s modernisation journey under the rule of Charles Brooke.
It highlights Kuching’s development into an administrative capital through the establishment of essential institutions including government offices, hospitals, schools and religious centres, culminating in its city status proclamation in 1988.
Meanwhile, Men of Steel Gallery spotlights the individuals who formed the backbone of the Brooke Dockyard operations.
The exhibition introduces the roles of local workers and European officers who pioneered the industry, charting the workforce’s evolution from basic labour to semi-skilled, skilled and management roles in carpentry and electrical engineering.
From humble beginnings, the dockyard evolved into Brooke Holding Sdn Bhd, which now employs over 400 staff, reflecting the progress of the local industry from the colonial era to the present day.
In River and Vessels Gallery, Sungai Sarawak which flows 120km from the Kapuas Mountains to Muara Tebas is depicted as the lifeblood of the state.
The gallery focuses on the river’s crucial role in shaping early settlements along its banks and Kuching’s development as a trade and administrative hub.
Back in Time Gallery meanwhile transports visitors to the inception of the Brooke Dockyard, first proposed by Rajah Charles Brooke in 1870 as part of Sarawak’s economic advancement.
It explores construction of one of the oldest dry docks in Borneo between 1908 and 1912, and its official opening by Ranee Muda Sylvia.
Great Gears and Engineers Gallery showcases the industrial heart of the Brooke Dockyard where ship hulls and machinery were repaired and maintained.
It features original machine tools, welding equipment and copper smelting furnaces, most of which were imported from Britain in the early 20th century, reflecting the engineering prowess behind the early industrial and infrastructural development in the Land of the Hornbills.
At the inauguration, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said the museum would remind the younger generation of Kuching’s historical development.
“It serves as a symbol of the state’s engineering and cultural legacy that must be preserved as part of the Sarawakian identity,” he said in his speech, reported Bernama.
He also announced plans to construct a 4.8km waterfront extension connecting the museum to Satok Bridge, serving as a landmark of Kuching’s heritage and modern development.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the transformation of the Brooke Dockyard into an industrial heritage museum was a RM46.7mil initiative implemented in stages from 2020.
