REXKL

REXKL is a restored cultural and creative hub housed in the former Rex Cinema on Jalan Sultan in central Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown. Originally opened as a cinema in 1947, the Art Deco building was repurposed in 2019 as a community arts space. It is notable for its heritage architecture, large BookXcess bookstore, exhibition areas, event hall and food outlets, serving as a venue for markets, screenings, performances and cultural programmes.

Visitors can expect a renovated historic cinema building with an open industrial interior, exposed brick and retained theatre structure. The ground floor houses a large BookXcess bookstore with extensive shelving and seating, while upper levels include an event hall, exhibition spaces and food and beverage outlets. The venue hosts rotating art exhibitions, pop-up markets, film screenings, live performances and community workshops in a central urban setting surrounded by Chinatown shophouses.

The building was originally built as Rex Theatre and opened in 1947 as one of Kuala Lumpur's earliest cinemas. It operated for decades, survived fires in 1972 and 2002, and was later abandoned before being restored and reopened in 2019 as REXKL, preserving its cinema heritage while adapting it for contemporary cultural use.

REXKL functions as a community-driven cultural and creative hub that supports local arts, independent retail, literature and performance. It is recognized as an example of adaptive reuse of heritage architecture in Kuala Lumpur and a gathering place for cultural events, markets and creative communities in Chinatown.