From the Author: KL has LOTS of free activities for kids and toddlers! The Islamic Arts Museum is awesome for days when we don’t feel like playing at home but don’t wanna bust our budget either.
You probably wouldn’t immediately think of the Islamic Arts Museum if you’re looking for a fun and budget-friendly place to take your kids to.
But here’s a little insider tip: There’s a children’s library on the upper floor of the museum and it’s free to enter! If you’re here on the weekends, there’s usually some kinda fun kids’ activity you can join in too.
It’s my go-to spot when we feel like doing some arts and crafts (on Saturdays) or just spending a quiet afternoon reading Eric Carle classics (any day).
Let’s check out all the free activities your family can enjoy at what I think is KL’s absolute best museum.
PS. The museum’s exhibition halls are well-curated. If it’s your first time here, I’ll also share what to get from the reception counter so your kids can enjoy a scavenger hunt while you check out the exhibits.
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So just a little heads up: All the free activities I’ll discuss in this post are available at the Children’s Library, Islamic Arts Museum. I can’t recommend this hidden gem of a place enough, especially if you’re exploring the city with toddlers.
The children’s library is open to the public daily, and you don’t have to pay the museum’s admission fee to spend time here.
When you arrive at the lower ground floor, you’ll see the ticketing counters. Just mention to the museum staff that you’re heading to the children’s library and you won’t be charged any fees. You’ll only have to pay for admission if you’re planning to check out the main gallery.
I’ll walk you through the 3 free activities you can enjoy with your family here:
1. Enjoy The Huge Collection Of Kids’ Books
The cute little library was refurbished pretty recently and it’s now such a cozy space with plenty of kid-friendly seating and rows upon rows of the best children’s books.
There’s a good mix of books for all ages, from board books for babies and toddlers to more extensive paperbacks for young readers.
My daughter’s still in her Eric Carle phase (do we ever really grow out of it?) and we head straight for that section every time we’re here.
I homeschool my daughter and I incorporate Islamic books in my lesson plans to introduce certain concepts to her. There’s a huge range of Islamic books here that I make full use of.
You’ll find the famous The Proudest Blue (a sweet story on the hijab), Palestinian writer Rifk Ebeid’s Baba What Does My Name Mean, and more!
2. Attend A Storytelling And Craft Session
Every Saturday at 3 p.m., the children’s library hosts a Storytelling session followed by some Arts & Crafts. It’s open to kids between 4 to 12 years old.
You don’t have to pre-register before the day. Just come to the library a little earlier and sign up at the children’s library reception.
It’s best to come around 2 p.m. so it gives you and your kids some time to go through their book collection if you’re up for it.
The Storytelling session lasts about 30 minutes and the titles are sometimes curated based on certain themes or festive periods.
The last one we went to was in Ramadan and the books read aloud were related to the fasting month.
Although there isn’t much engagement between the storyteller and the kids, her voice is incredibly soothing! All the kids were calm and mesmerized and she gently told her stories.
Then, all the kids can make their way to the activity table to get started on the craft project for the day. Their ideas are pretty darn cute!
3. Watch A Short Story Screening
Come for Sunday Screening if your kids love folklore and fables!
It starts at 3 p.m. and the 15-minute show is told in a traditional (though pre-recorded) shadow puppet style. Locally, we call this intricate style wayang kulit.
The stories are usually taken from local folk tales and sometimes from classic literature too. Some months they do a feature on Rumi, with short stories adapted from his poems.
Extra Activity Idea: Museum Quest (not free though!)
If it’s your first time at the Islamic Arts Museum, I highly recommend visiting their exhibits. It’s such a fantastic walkthrough of Islamic art and history.
I especially love the mosque dioramas from around the world, the gilded Al-Qurans, and the jaw-dropping royal jewels!
I recommend buying a copy of the Museum Quest booklet at the ticketing counter. It’s basically a kid-friendly walkthrough of the museum with prompts of interesting exhibits for them to spot. It doesn’t cost all that much either – I think it was less than RM5 (about USD$ 1).
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia Visitor Info
Children’s Library
- Opening Hours: 9.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. daily (closed between 12 – 1 p.m.)
- Admission: Free (including for Storytelling, Arts & Crafts, and Sunday Screenings)
Main Gallery
- Opening Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
- Admission: RM20 (USD$ 5) per adult and RM10 (USD$ 3) per student. Kids under 6 enter free.
Facilities & Accessibility
- No nursing or baby changing room is provided.
- Wheelchair-friendly and stroller-friendly (though strollers have to be parked outside the library).
- If you’re looking for the surau prayer room, inform one of the security guards. It’s in a private area and they’ll have to tap you in.
How To Get To The KL Islamic Arts Museum
- KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus – There’s a stop at the nearby National Mosque. It’s a 5-minute walk away.
- Grab – Malaysia’s e-hailing app. It’s about a 15-minute ride from KLCC.
- Drive. Free parking is available near the main entrance.
There aren’t any LRT or MRT stations within the Islamic Arts Museum area. The closest is Pasar Seni, and it’s still about a 30-minute walk to the museum.
KL’s not very pedestrian-friendly though so it’s not something I recommend doing with little ones.
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia: Final Tips
Before heading to one of their weekend activities, check the children’s library monthly calendar just to confirm that there is indeed an activity happening on the day. They don’t host activities on certain weeks.
If you need to grab a bite before the session, head to the museum’s Moza Restaurant. They serve stellar Middle Eastern fare. The Turkish coffee is DIVINE! They’re open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Looking for more budget-friendly attractions in Kuala Lumpur? Check out my full list of the best things to do in KL for free with your family!
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