Penang Forestry Museum

The Forestry Museum, located within the Telok Bahang Forest Park grounds, was set up to research, exhibit and nurture an appreciation of the diverse species of plant life on the island's tropical rainforest.
The construction of the 700 sq. metre Museum started in 1976. The museum building is panelled throughout with various species of locally found wood and other renewable forest products. The eight supporting beams of the building are also panelled plants that are found within the vicinity, like palms, canes and rattan. It was opened to the public on 5 May 1983. 

Objectives of the Museum

The key roles of the Forestry Museum are:

• To help visitors understand how forestry contributes to the development of the
  country.
• Showing visitors how to recognise the function of the forest, through observation
  of exhibits.
• Educating and furthering knowledge in respect of functions and contributions
   of forestry through the display exhibits.
• To serve as a source of reference in science, history and art, for school children
   and students of higher learning.
• To promote awareness of and to appreciate the forest with the aim of encouraging
  people to treat it with loving care.
• To attract more tourists to visit Penang, thus boosting the tourism industry.

Divisions of the exhibition areas

FORESTRY DIORAMA:  This section has eight dioramas which represent the eight forest types found in the local tropical forest. The dioramas include a mangrove swamp forest, swamp forest, coastal hill forest, lowland dipterocarp forest, hill dipterocarp forest, upper hill dipterocarp forest, montane oak forest and montane ericaceous forest.

SILVICULTURE: This section exhibits information treatment of forest stand, work on replanting and cataloguing the kind of trees presently in demand commercially.

ETHNOBOTANY STALL: This section exhibits materials from the forest which are commonly used by Malaysians. The stall is built using Cengal timber and the roofing is made from Nipah leaves. Nibong and bamboo weaving also form part of this stall.

ENTOMOLOGY SECTION: A section devoted to explain the symbiotic relationship between insects and forestry.
Not all insects are harmful to the forest, as there are some which prey on other insects which live on plant materials. Some insects help in pollination essential for continued survival of trees and plants. The forest is a breeding place for insects. Some insects make attractive souvenir items.

FOREST PRODUCE: In this section minor forest produce of all kinds are exhibited. The necessary permits to enable the acquisition of such produce are also shown.

WOOD PROCESSING: This section shows how logs are extracted from the forest and how they are converted to veneer, plywood and sawn timber. Sawn timber is treated to protect the wood from insect and fungal attacks. Wood may also be moulded or converted to furniture, fiberboard, blockboards, paper and other wood-based and cellulosic products.

EXHIBIT PANELS: These panels display pictures and provide information on products made using wood as the raw material. There are panels showing pictorial representation of logging operations employing elephants and modern technology. Information on the use of wood working machineries in sawmilling, plywood and veneer milling, woodworking and furniture milling industries are also presented.
Other pictorially provide information on small scale industries using wood as raw materials as in the case of boat-building and housing industry especially in rural areas.

Facilities

Situated within the recreation area, facilities such as resting areas and toilet are available. It is suggested that visitors first spend more time at the museum before moving on to enjoy the serene condition of the forest park.

Visiting hours

The Forestry Museum is opened every day except on Eid-al-Fitr (Hari Raya Puasa) and Eid-al-Adha (Hari Raya Haji)
Time: 9.00am to 5.00pm
Friday: 9.00am to 12.00noon, 2.45pm to 5.00pm
For further enquiries, contact:
Pejabat Perhutanan Negeri Pulau Pinang
Tingkat 20, Menara KOMTAR, 10000 Pulau Pinang
Tel: 604-262 5272, 650 5250   Fax: 604-263 6335
Email: jabatanp@sukpp.gov.my
Museum Perhutanan Hutan Lipur Telok Bahang
Taman Rimba, Telok Bahang, 11050 Pulau Pinang
Tel: 604-885 2388   Pejabat Renjer Hutan Telok Bahang: 604-885 1280

Penang sight seeing tips | hills, beaches, recreational forest, fish villages, waterfalls