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Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Penang Attraction: Upside Down Museum


An upside down house is not exactly a new concept as there has been a number of such houses built in various parts of the world. Such creation usually draw big crowds as human tend to be curious about things that are eccentric and out of the norm.

Upside Down Museum at 45, Kimberly Street, George Town, is quite a recent addition to the list of attractions in Penang. This museum is housed in a two storey normal upright building but the various compartments and rooms within the building are dedicated to structures, furnishing, gadgets and decors that have been turned topsy turvy: some tilted and rotated, most totally inverted. It is a dizzying experience moving through the various rooms as the mind seeks to find the correct perspective of things. 
The upside down experience starts at the ticketing area itself. The ticket counter, the clock, the labels and the shoe locker are all inverted. 
The door and windows of the museum entrance are inverted too.
To see the correct orientation of the entrance, the subject has to be flipped. While flipping each photo to get the correct orientation of the exhibits a surreal effect on the subject is created which may be fun to watch. 
This museum is meant to be entertaining and interactive. Each compartment has an attending staff whose zealousness is too obvious as he/she would grab your camera, teach you how to pose and snap photos for you even though you do not ask for this service.


PHOTO GALLERY
Warning: To Prevent Dizziness, Focus On The Furnishing In The Rooms Rather Than The Subject.
The first few compartments features the various rooms in a "charming home". There is a sitting room, a dining room, a kitchen, a bedroom, a child's playroom cum bedroom, a washroom and a laundry room. The ceiling of these rooms are the floor trod by visitors and likewise the floors are the visitors' ceiling.
 The dining room
The kitchen
We couldn't fully appreciate the abnormal setting initially but after looking through the pictures and flipping them, we realized the mammoth task involved in fitting everything upside down and the painstaking effort to put in all the details.
The 'fun' part of this museum is looking back at the photographs we took as we were too disorientated with the bizarre set-up when we were at the place.
The people involved in this gravity defying set-up must have battled neck ache and disorientation so thumbs up to them for this work of wonder.
Imagine fitting a real piano on the ceiling?  That must have been a real daunting task!
In reality you wouldn't be able to take a photo with this pose unless you are floating in outer space. 
Like bats, hanging inside this bedroom!
An amusing shot in the washroom.
After cruising through the various rooms of an 'upside down home', we arrived at a compartment with the setting of an old coffee shop. The setting is not inverted but rather rotated 90° which means the furnishings are embedded onto the wall rather than the ceiling. The photo effect turns out quite hilarious!
Within the same section, there is a floor that is tilted 25°. Standing on this floor gives the visual impression that you can do a gravity defying stunt like this. Another attraction here is a pool table with pool balls that seem to be able to move against gravity.
The upper floor of the museum features a street scene. There are murals drawn on one wall with live props fitted depicting street food stalls. On the opposite are a few shops which are all designed to be inverted.
Come to think of it, the actual 'fun' about this museum is in the photographs visitors bring home.The visit and money spent turned out worthwhile. After all you rarely find a place that gives you an opportunity to be a Spiderman or a Batman.

Museum Info

Opening Hours 
Mon-Fri 8.45am to 6.30pm
Sat,Sun & Public Holidays: 8.45am to 7.30pm
(Last entry is 1 hour before closing)

Ticket Price  
MyCard Holder: Adult (RM16)   Children Below 12 yrs old  (RM8)     Student (RM11)   
                               Senior Citizen Above 60yrs old: (RM14)

Non Mycard Holder: Adult (RM27)   Children Below 12 years old (RM16)   Student (RM16)

*Malaysians will be requested to show their Mycards to get the Mycard Rate.
*Visitors have to take off their shoes before entering.
     

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