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Attraction · Melaka

Stadthuys and Dutch Square

The red Dutch-era Stadthuys and the square in front of it, at the centre of Melaka's old town, now home to the History and Ethnography Museum.

WhereBandar Hilir, Melaka
InsideHistory and Ethnography Museum (PERZIM)
Museum closedMondays
UNESCO World HeritageMelaka and George Town, inscribed 7 July 2008
About

Stadthuys and Dutch Square

The Stadthuys, often called the Red House, is a building from Melaka's period of Dutch rule that stands on Dutch Square at the centre of the old town. It now houses the History and Ethnography Museum, run by PERZIM, the Melaka Museums Corporation, with several smaller museums and the Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery in the same complex. Melaka was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List with George Town on 7 July 2008, and Malaysia's Department of National Heritage points to the city's government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications from the Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods.

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What to See

Square and museum

The square is seen from outside at any time; the museum is the reason to go in.

Inside the Stadthuys

  • The History and Ethnography Museum traces Melaka through the Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese periods to independence.
  • The complex also holds several smaller PERZIM museums, including literature and education museums.
  • The Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery is part of the same complex.

Outside

  • The red-painted Stadthuys frontage and Dutch Square, the usual starting point for a walk through the old town.
  • The Melaka River is beside the square; the river cruise operator lists the Stadthuys among the sights its boats pass.
Before You Go

Museum days

The square is always accessible, but the museum keeps PERZIM's schedule.

From PERZIM

  • PERZIM museums are closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday.
  • Confirm the day's opening hours on perzim.gov.my.

Our planning notes

  • On a day trip from Kuala Lumpur, avoid Monday if the museum matters to you.
  • See the square and museum in daylight, then take the river cruise towards evening.
Nearby

In the old town

What pairs with the square on the same visit.

Melaka River Cruise
Passes the Stadthuys
Melaka
City guide
George Town World Heritage Site
Penang; the other half of the same UNESCO listing
Good to Know

Frequently asked

The History and Ethnography Museum, which covers Melaka's Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese periods up to independence, along with several smaller museums and the Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery.
The museum is not. PERZIM states that its museums are closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday. Dutch Square itself is an open public space.
Melaka's historic city was inscribed on the World Heritage List together with George Town on 7 July 2008. The listing describes Melaka's government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications.
Yes. The operator of the Melaka River Cruise lists the Stadthuys, which it also calls the Red Building, among the sights along its route.
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