jalanjalan: Army Museum, Negeri Sembilan

Wednesday, 10 October 2012

Army Museum, Negeri Sembilan

Port Dickson has been home to an Army Camp from way back in 1933 when the Kem Si Rusa was set up. Since then, there has always been a sizeable military presence in Port Dickson, so much so that in 2009, Port Dickson was declared as an Army Town ("Bandar Tentera Darat") by the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

You could then say it would be appropriate for a museum dedicated to the Army be located in an Army Town. Located off an intersection from the 4th mile Port Dickson coastal road, the Army Museum is located right next to the army camp.

The museum has both indoor galleries and outdoor displays of army hardware. The indoor galleries are spread out over 8 galleries located in 2 blocks of double-storey buildings. Each gallery is dedicated to a particular era or theme.

One of the galleries is dedicated to the era of the Melaka Sultanate, with dioramas painting a picture of how life must have been in the ancient empire which was the pre-cursor to British Malaya.

Another gallery tells the tale of British Malaya, and the various local heroes and freedom fighters that put up resistance to the colonial rulers throughout their time in the power.

Other galleries are dedicated to the time of the formation of the Malay army, the time of the Japanese conquerors, and the communist insurgency.

As you wander around the various galleries, you will also come across some curious artifacts like this actual elephant skull.

While all the galleries are interesting enough especially if you can read Malay and have an interest in history, the real attraction for boys and grown-up boys are outside the galleries where all the military hardware and ordnance are displayed in all their glory.

Another interesting feature is a re-created mock-up of a communist underground tunnel. You walk down into the ground and into a darkened tunnel which has a communist sentry, mock surgery room, mock operations room and ammo store.