Sabahans, and visitors alike, take note: our home is glowing with fresh energy. October is just around the corner, and with it comes some of our newest additions (or soon-to-open) cultural spaces that you shouldn’t miss. For those who love more than just beaches and jungles – and want to feel Sabah’s heritage, art, and innovation – this guide is for you.
What’s Fresh in Sabah’s Culture Scene
Here in Kota Kinabalu (and elsewhere in Sabah), things are changing fast in the best ways. A few highlights:
- Upgrades at the Sabah State Museum – The museum as always been a place I love bringing friends who want to understand Sabah: our ethnography, natural history, heritage houses, etc. What’s new now is the integration of interactive elements (think AR/VR) giving more life to traditional dwellings and displays. More immersive stories of our many indigenous groups – Kadazan Dusun, Murut, Bajau, and more – are being woven in.
- Heritage Village + Ethnobotanic Garden Enhancements – The Heritage Village (With houses from various communities) and have gardens around the museum grounds have had some work, making walks more comfortable, signage better, more space to linger.
- Conservation & Green Architecture – Sabah is stepping up: new museum or gallery buildings are designed with sustainability in mind. I’ve heard features like solar power, rainwater harvesting, and greener materials are being used. This is exciting because (for me at least) it feels like Sabah is moving forward and staying true to caring for our land.
- Performing Arts Spaces – While some venues are refurbishing and expanding, there are more announcements being expected for arts centres where plays, local music, dance, and other performance arts will be showcased. I’m keeping my ears open for press releases from the Sabah Cultural Board and local arts groups (SPArKS etc.)
What You Can Actually Do & See (Starting Oct Onwards)
Here are suggestions for how to plan your day (or days) to catch the new while still enjoying what Sabah has always been great at.
- Start at the Sabah State Museum in KK. Make time for the Heritage Village. Walk through the Ethnobotanic Garden in the morning when it’s cooler.
- Then, head over to the Sabah Art Gallery/Conservation Building (if open) or other newer exhibition spaces, to see how the new architecture blends with the old.
- Plan an evening out at a local performance: could be traditional dance (Sumazau, Magunatip), or a modern theater production. Check local even calendars in KK. (If the newer performance centres are operating, those venues are going to be ones making more top-quality shows happen.)
- For heritage lovers, combine museum visit(s) with walks around older parts of the city, old shop houses, markets, maybe Gaya Street, and places you know carry stories. See how culture is still alive in food, markets, street art.
Why It’s Worth It
As someone who calls Sabah home, here’s why these new cultural gems matter to me – and why you should plan for them:
- They offer a different pace: learning, resting, reflection, not just adrenaline.
- They help preserve and tell Sabah’s stories – of indigenous communities, of environmental change, of us.
- For visitors, they enrich the travel experience. You leave not just with photos of landscapes and sea, but with Memories of people, culture, heritage.
- They spread visitor traffic more evenly. Instead of only popular nature spots, more people will visit city museums, arts shows, etc. – which helps small local businesses around.
Tips Before You Go
- Check opening hours in advance – new exhibits or performance spaces may still be finalizing things or have phased openings.
- Some features (especially interactive tech, performance shows) may need tickets booked ahead.
- Bring comfortable walking shoes – some heritage village paths and gardens are uneven.
- Early mornings are always nicer: cooler, fewer people, better light if you like taking photos.
- Bring a local friend or guide if possible – they often know which heritage houses or exhibitions have special behind-the-scenes stories.
