Pinang Peranakan Mansion — Attraction in George Town

I came here on a weekday morning 9.30AM, just when they've opened their doors and was immediately greeted with groups of tourists. Not surprisingly, the tourists (including myself), were very keen on renting the Nyonya outfits. Do make sure to head to the outfit section before purchasing your museum tickets -- as you're guaranteed the entrance fees to the museum with every outfit rental. Make sure you don't have to pay double for the tickets.

The experience renting the Nyonya/Baba outfits For the ladies, I had to pick out a top (kebaya) I liked based on the sizes displayed. There were a variety of colours from lighter pastels to darker blues and black. I had to approach a staff member to help with coordinating a bottom (sarong). After picking out, I had to line up to change into the outfit. The lines at that time were overwhelmingly long with tourists. With limited space in this small section, it was not the most pleasant experience. Note that once you change into your outfit, you need to be happy with it before you head to pay -- otherwise, no changes in outfits will be entertained. Thereafter, I had to line up for a center counter to get my invoice handwritten by a staff, where they asked me what packages I would like (e.g just the outfit rental/with hairstyling/with photographer). At that point, the queue was so unbearably long. I waited approximately 40 minutes in this section. I do think this is due to the fact that the staff were handwriting invoices and manually calculating the cost. This inevitably resulted in some errors and took up more time than necessary. This is also the section where the staff would help pin the back of your kebaya to synch it to your body better and add a front brooch for you. I overheard people having to book timeslots for the photographer as well, so this is additional time you'll have to wait around in the museum for your timeslot since this museum does not have any online booking or reservation for these services. After all that hassle, I made way to the counter for payment... finally. Here, you can also decide if you want to rent the beaded shoes as well, but you need to have your own boat socks/stockings. Not to worry, they will sell the socks to you for 5RM if I am not wrong. After getting out of that area, I spent about an hour and a half just to get fitted, without hairstyling or anything at all besides the outfit. Renting the outfit only was 108RM

A better system could have been in place to ease the crowds and have a better workflow (e.g opening up 2 center counters for writing invoices OR digitalising invoices and cashiering).

That aside, I really loved the architecture, the antiques they preserved and overall, I'd say this is a lovely place if you do appreciate everything Peranakan. I have always had an interest in Peranakan culture and food, and I'm glad to have been able to visit this place. Definitely a must visit if you're here in Penang. You can feel free to join in the guided...

We came here with main objective for Nonya kebaya dress up, and were amazed at the items in museum. Displayed were v detailed crafts by peranakans like beaded bags and shoes with super micro beads, to antique furnitures which really brought us back to Little Nonya tv series site.

The Nonya kebaya rental, hairdo, makeup, photographers and museum ticket entry are at the little building opposite the museum.

important note: Ensure your engaged photographer time slot is confirmed n written by staff onto your receipt before walking off Nonya Palazzo. We learn it the hard way with a lot of time wasted. Our photographer was double booked at our stipulated timing due to the mistake by the staff at counter.

We were told a photographer slot 2 hours later from our kebaya rental, which we proceed to make payment n set hairdo.

After loitering around at museum for 2 hours we came back for photographer and were told that his slot is for another couple. The reason? Their procedure was to confirm timing after our hairdo and dress up so that the timing can be assigned. But this was NOT COMMUNICATED to us at all, and we were CONFIRMED AT STIPULATED TIME during payment. The staff still wrote my name on the list, but missed out writing in the timing.

The reassigned timing was 2 hours later from original time which by then would be 4 freaking hours wait just for photoshoot, due to front service staff mistake.

By then we were asking for full refund n ready to walk off, without the much anticipated photoshoot.

Some discussion went on with their boss and photographer managed to squeeze out time & slot us in after the couple’s.

The photography session went well and the photographer SL handled professionally, despite the arrangement mishap. Highly recommend to have professional photographer as he will guide you for Nonya-applicable poses in museum :) which creates very good keepsake memory.

To museum front counter service staff, we respect your procedure but this isn’t your insurance to keep telling customers only after things got screwed up and totally not mention at all prior. Please communicate clearly to your customers, and ensure leave no stones unturned. People don’t wait 4 hours just for a photography session when we could have arrange for other itinerary. If you had promised a certain timing, you don’t flip your words and said that it was termed “estimated” afterwhich, when it’s you missed out on writing down the time onto your sheet. We went for payment after your confirmed photography time slot. And not...

Pinang Peranakan Mansion: A Glimpse into the Past, But Not Without Quirks

The Pinang Peranakan Mansion offers a fascinating glimpse into the rich heritage of Penang's Peranakan culture. The 45-minute guided tour, led by an excellent, comedic guide (kudos to them!), was informative and engaging, bringing the history of the mansion and its inhabitants to life.

However, the experience is a bit uneven. The mansion itself boasts some truly stunning rooms, showcasing exquisite Peranakan furniture, intricate tilework, and beautiful textiles. These sections truly transport you back in time.

On the other hand, some rooms felt a bit average, with displays that weren't quite as captivating.

Another curious feature is the rather large on-site restaurant. While it might be convenient for grabbing a bite after the tour, its presence felt a bit out of place nestled within the historic mansion.

The gift shop also left me scratching my head. While Peranakan souvenirs are expected, the inclusion of generic items like Marvel character keychains felt jarringly out of place.

Customer Service is not their greatest strength. Even when buying tickets. They’re reluctant to accept card payments. Was told originally ‘Cash Only’ and has to be more than 100 Ringgit, which doesn’t make any sense. Eventually a card reader is shown and card payments are accepted, when I’d just paid 50 Ringgit. The person selling tickets also has a negative attitude and was very unprofessional. There’s also the slight issue of the sticker to wear to show you’ve paid for your ticket. I told them I’ll place the sticker, where I want it to be, not to be dictated.

You have time slots for either an English or Chinese tour guide.

Overall, the Pinang Peranakan Mansion is worth a visit, especially if you're interested in Penang's cultural heritage. Just be prepared for a mixed bag – breathtaking rooms and historical insights alongside some slightly odd additions.

Getting there is easy. You can hail a Grab taxi or, if you're feeling adventurous and the Penang heat isn't too oppressive, it's...