If you’re in KL and looking for something unique to do outside the usual tourist hotspots, a visit to the Royal Selangor Visitor Center is highly recommended. This place isn’t just a museum — it’s a great experience that takes you through the rich history of pewter craftsmanship, where you can see artisans at work and even get the chance to make your own pewter objects. It’s no wonder it’s been one of the most enjoyable and popular attractions in the city for many years. And the best part? The tour is completely free, and they’ve really figured out how to make the whole experience fun, educational, and interesting.
What is the Royal Selangor Visitor Center?
Royal Selangor is the world’s largest pewter brand, and at this museum-slash-visitor center, you’ll learn all about its many applications. The company has been around since 1885, and the name is now synonymous with top-quality pewter craftsmanship. In English, we call it ‘pewter’ — an alloy mainly made from tin. Years ago, Malaysia was one of the world’s largest tin producers. And once steel and iron became more dominant, tin was mostly used to make beautiful products.
The visitor center is a mix of a museum, a factory, and an interactive workshop. You’ll get an in-depth look at how tin has been used throughout history — from traditional water jugs to modern decorative pieces. You can also watch skilled artisans shape and polish pewter into beautiful designs. It’s fun for young and old alike. The workshops are great too, and you get to take home whatever you create.
What to expect during your visit
1. Free tour
There are free guided tours in several languages, including English, Mandarin, and Bahasa Malaysia. The guides are super knowledgeable and will walk you through the entire pewter-making process. The tour usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour and includes:
The history of Royal Selangor – Learn how a small family business founded by a young Chinese immigrant, Yong Koon, grew into a globally recognized brand.
Pewter Museum – See historical pewter items like vintage water jugs, intricate trophies, and custom-made pieces for royalty.
Factory tour – Walk through the working factory and watch artisans skillfully cast, polish, and assemble pewter products. You’ll also see how traditional techniques are blended with modern tech. About 350 people work there (all part-time), and it’s clear they really enjoy what they do.
If you want a shorter tour, you can mention it at the start — they’ll just cover the highlights. If you’re visiting with kids, the focus will be more on the fun and modern applications and less on historical stuff.
2. Cool workshops
If just watching isn’t enough, you can also roll up your sleeves and join a workshop!
School of Hard Knocks (approx. RM75) – A fun 30-minute session where you design your own pewter dish using traditional tools. You even get to take it home as a souvenir!
The Foundry Workshop (approx. RM180) – Perfect if you want to go deeper. This 60-minute session lets you create a pewter accessory or figurine from scratch.
These workshops are a great way to make a personal keepsake and an awesome travel memory.
3. The Royal Selangor shop
No visit is complete without checking out the Royal Selangor shop. You’ll find a massive selection of pewter products — from elegant cups, cutlery, and home décor to limited-edition collector’s items.
They’ve got special collections for fans of Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, and more. Super fun to browse. When we were there, one lady in the factory was working on a huge statue of Thanos (MCU).
Prices range from affordable souvenirs to high-end, handmade masterpieces. For those large pieces, prices can go up to RM2000 or more.
If you’re looking for a special gift or a unique piece for your home, this is the place. There’s also a whole section of cool pewter jewelry and smaller souvenirs — perfect for gifts. Think keyrings, hip flasks, coffee mugs, oriental-style necklaces, and more.
4. The Café
After the tour, you can grab a bite or a drink at the Royal Selangor Café. The menu includes a mix of local and Western favorites — from traditional Malaysian snacks to great coffee. It’s a nice spot to relax before heading back into the city.
How to get there?
The museum is located in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur — about 20–30 minutes from the city center. It’s a bit far out, which is probably why many tourists skip it. But that’s a shame, because it’s absolutely worth visiting.
If you’re taking public transport (LRT & Grab combo), take the LRT Kelana Jaya Line and get off at Wangsa Maju Station. From there, take a Grab (Malaysia’s version of Uber) for a quick 5-minute ride to the visitor center. This is the most convenient and budget-friendly option if you’re relying on public transport.
If you prefer direct transport, just type Royal Selangor Visitor Center into the Grab app. A ride from KLCC or Bukit Bintang costs about RM30, depending on traffic. You can also Grab one back to the city afterwards.
If you’re driving, there’s plenty of free parking available on-site.
Tips
- The museum is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and it’s usually less busy in the mornings. Weekdays are better if you want a more personal experience, although there are sometimes large groups of children visiting (but they were all very quiet during our visit).
- We combined our visit to the museum with a stop at the Genting Outlets — a fun outlet shopping center just a 35-minute drive away.
- Visitors who prefer to explore on their own can get a headset with English-language explanations.
- You don’t need to reserve in advance for the free tour, but if you’re interested in a workshop, it’s best to book your spot online ahead of time.
- Our guide was James. He spoke fluent English and had all kinds of fun stories. It was great walking through the museum with him. He asked us in advance how much time we had for the tour, so he knew how long he could talk for. That was really nice — I always enjoy a tour, but I’m usually less interested in all the dry details. He understood that, and that’s what made him such a fantastic guide.
- It’s a working factory, so wear comfortable clothes and shoes if you plan to walk around.
- The large pieces of art they sell can be professionally shipped to you from the museum. Ask at the information desk for details.
- The Royal Selangor Visitor Center has been one of Kuala Lumpur’s top-rated attractions on Tripadvisor for years. That’s partly because it’s often included in organized day tours. Because of its distance from central KL, we had never visited the museum before — but after our first visit, we were genuinely impressed.
- The guided tour ends in the shop, but the focus isn’t on buying anything. In fact, the tour continued a bit inside the shop just so you could see what they offer. In hindsight, this was one of the highlights (especially because of the beautiful MCU and DC pewter figurines — AWESOME!).
- If you’re staying at certain luxury hotels in central Kuala Lumpur, there’s a free shuttle bus that picks up from the hotel at set times.
- Photos and videos are allowed (except in certain production areas), so bring your camera!
- The tour is completely free. No tip is expected at the end (but if you want to give one, the guide certainly won’t refuse).
- One of the things that really stood out and made the visit even more enjoyable was the quality of all the products in the museum. Afterward, you really become a fan of the Royal Selangor brand. During later holidays, we found ourselves walking into Royal Selangor shops several times — there are dozens across the country — and every time, it was a pleasure to browse their cool, handmade products.
- Visit the official Royal Selangor Visitor Center website for more info.
Suggestions?
Got any good tips to share with us? Do you know of any great things to do in Kuala Lumpur, or tips on the best places to eat? Let us know by leaving a reply below or join our private Facebook Group Friends of Malaysia.