Penang War Museum, originally is a large military defences fortress built in the 1930's by the British to protect the island from the invasion of enemies. This complicated fort has all the features of a typical defence facilities with underground military tunnels and ammunition bunkers. It is located at Batu Maung Hill, southeast of the Penang Island.
During World War II, this fortress came under attacked and fell to the Japanese. It was then used as a Japanese army base where interrogation and torture of prisoners for information were conducted here. When the Japanese invaded in December 1941, it became a prisoner of war camp. It is dubbed Bukit Hantu (Ghost Hill / Haunted Hill) because hundreds of people brought there were beheaded.
Being labelled as a place of horror due to the cruelty of war, this hill was deserted after the War in 1945. It was abandoned for years until it was being cleared off and turned into War Museum by Johari Shafie and opened to the public in 2002. This museum is located on a hill and you will be able to see the Straits of Melaka as well as the surrounding areas from here.
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| View from the War Museum |
Inside the War Museum, it houses canon-firing bay, anti-aircraft firing bays, sleeping quarters for soldiers, cookhouse, prison ad command centre. There are numerous underground tunnels in this fortress. Much of what you see today is very much in the same condition as when it was built.
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| Huge canon gun can be seen at the compound of the museum. |
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| Anti-aircraft Gun |
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| The ruin of the canon foundation and the surrounding. |
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| The underground tunnel is well preserved until today. |
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| Looking out from a tunnel |
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| Prison |
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| Cooking House |
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