The National Art Gallery

The National Art Gallery of Kuala Lumpur is situated at No 2 Jalan Temerloh, Off Jalan Tun Razak, just next door to the National Theatre ( in Malay, Istana Budaya - literally Culture Palace).
The modernist A shaped building was opened on 27 September 2000. Prior to this in the 1950’s around the time of Malaysia’s independence, the Art gallery was situated at Jalan Ampang, at the site of the current Malaysian Tourism Council (MATIC) building. It then moved to the former Majestic Hotel, the beautiful building across the road from the old Train Station of Kuala Lumpur.
If you feel you may lose your way getting there, use the Kuala Lumpur Hospital as your landmark and you won’t miss it - walking from Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman towards the Chow Kit area, just walk ahead towards the hospital and roundabout and you can see it clearly. From KLCC, walk towards the Ampang Park Mall. At the Jalan Ampang traffic lights, just turn left and walk for about 2 kilometres...if you're up to it! As a KL native, I would still suggest taking a cab because it’s along a major thoroughfare and trying to get across may be crazy!
The National Art Gallery houses 7 galleries, with often changing exhibits, an art shop and a café selling local Malaysian food – not the best food I’m afraid but its okay for drinks...its not very expensive though.
It is open daily from 1000 hours to 1800 hours and entrance is FREE!
Sometimes though maybe because they are redoing the galleries and exhibits, you may find several galleries empty - quite annoying!
As a child in the 1970’s, when there wasn’t much to do in KL my dad used to bring us to the gallery on weekends and that’s how my interest in art began. Now I attend oil painting classes weekly at the National Art Gallery and it has become one of my favourite KL spots.