Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman

Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman is a restored traditional Malay timber house located in the Badan Warisan Malaysia compound on Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur. Originally built between 1910 and the early 1930s in Kampung Sungai Kechil, Kedah, it was the residence of Penghulu Abu Seman. Relocated to Kuala Lumpur in 1996-1997 to prevent demolition, it now serves as a heritage house museum showcasing classic Malay architecture and lifestyle.

Visitors can expect a guided tour of a fully restored stilted Malay house set in a landscaped garden in central Kuala Lumpur. The house features timber construction, carved panels, pitched roof, and traditional layout with rumah ibu, rumah dapur and anjung. Inside are period furnishings, antiques and household items illustrating early 20th-century Malay village life. Access is by guided tour only, with explanations of architecture, construction techniques and domestic customs.

Built in stages between 1910 and the early 1930s in Kampung Sungai Kechil, Mukim Bagan Samak, Kedah, as the residence of Penghulu Abu Seman, the local headman. The house represents the evolution of a Malay village house as the family grew. Threatened with demolition in the 1990s, it was acquired, dismantled and relocated to Kuala Lumpur by Badan Warisan Malaysia in 1996-1997 and restored to its original form as an example of traditional Malay domestic architecture.

Significant as a well-preserved example of traditional Malay timber architecture, showcasing vernacular construction techniques, spatial organization, wood carving and adaptation to tropical climate. It serves as an educational resource on Malay cultural heritage, domestic life and craftsmanship, and is managed by Badan Warisan Malaysia for heritage conservation and public awareness.