Toy Museum in Penang

Interested in Contemporary Toys?

Visit the Toy Museum, the latest attraction in Penang, Malaysia, that has recently opened its doors to the public. It has a vast collection of contemporary toys that consists of dolls ,movie characters, cartoons and comic character collectibles . The Museum, holder of 2 records in the Malaysian Book of Records, ranks as the First Toy Museum in Asia and the worlds largest Toy Museum with a collection now of 100,000 toys and still expanding over time.

The Museum was the passionate dream of its owner Loh Lean Cheang, a consultant engineer by profession, who got the idea when he visited the Toy and Model Museum in London 30 years ago. He has been collecting toys from all parts of the world ever since. His greatest hobby is now offering untold enjoyment for all ages. The journey of collecting toys started from his first , "Popeye" which cost him half a pound to his most expensive Life Size Robot at RM 9,000( US $2370)in recent years. His favorite toy is the figurine of "My Goddess" from Japan, which he bought for about RM1,000 (US $265) . Despite having such a vast collection, he continues to buy toys at an average of RM 3000 - 5000 a month.

The toys in the museum are displayed in simple shelves and arranged in a manner to suit the ambience. Even toys of the latest in the series can be seen such as Aliens, Spiderman 2 , Hulk , Spawn , X-Men , Matrix Reloaded , Terminator 3, and The Lord of the Rings to name a few. The astonishing diversity of toys and models is like watching hundreds of movies in mini displays over a span of a couple of hours. There are also limited edition collectibles of living life characters such as Jackie Chan, Mr. Bean , Britney Spears and Michael Jackson. Dont be alarmed when some toys suddenly start moving their hands and claws, or if you hear chilling voices in certain sections of the museum; it makes the whole experience even more thrilling.

Young children and teens are more likely to enjoy the delicate beauty and nostalgic charm of these contemporary toys as they are based on cartoons and movie characters. Also, it cannot be a more perfect way for parents to show their kids toys that existed before the birth of the Playstation and Nintendo.

Contrary to the island's heritage trails and exotic beaches, "The Toy Museum" offers a spectacular show of collectibles that are rarely found in Asia. It might not be historically significant for toys, which have been in existence for centuries, but it is a fine example of a layman's long pursued dream of having a "museum" of his own . This should make Malaysians proud that Cheang's ambitious dream has now become a unique tourist attraction, usually only found in Western countries. At a nominal price of RM 10 for an adult entrance fee, one can escape into a land of personal collections and beloved characters in the largest modern toys display in Malaysia.

Toy Museum in front of Copthorne Orchid Hotel Penang Tanjung Bungah 11200 Penang Malaysia

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Published on 7/10/05