By Zaki Salleh
IPOH: The creative use of a rock music theme through the “Warung Rock Ipoh” concept brought success to the Perak State Museum Board, whose exhibition booth was crowned the Most Popular Exhibition Booth at the 2026 National-Level International Museum Day Festival.
The recognition reflects the overwhelming response from visitors to the exhibition, which showcased the history and evolution of rock music—an art form closely associated with the identity of Ipoh.
Highlighting the golden era of Malaysian rock music during the 1980s, the booth paid tribute to legendary rock bands originating from Ipoh.
Among those featured were SYJ, May, Sofea, and Ariwatan, while also recognising the contributions of local musicians who helped shape Malaysia’s music industry.
The exhibition also displayed vintage rock band posters and local music magazines that once played a significant role in promoting the country’s rock music scene.
The theme demonstrated the Perak State Museum Board’s creativity by moving beyond the conventional image of museums, which are often associated solely with historical artefacts and traditional heritage.
At the same time, it successfully positioned Ipoh’s iconic “rock kapak” culture as part of Perak’s tourism identity.
The 2026 National-Level International Museum Day Festival was held at Padang Akasia, Angsana Mall, Johor Bahru, Johor, from 24 to 28 June.
The festival brought together museums and heritage institutions from across Malaysia to promote the nation’s history, culture, and heritage to the public.
In a statement, the Perak State Museum Board expressed its heartfelt appreciation to all visitors and supporters who voted for the booth, enabling it to emerge as the festival’s most popular exhibit.
The Board also thanked the Department of Museums Malaysia, the Johor Heritage Foundation, the host, the panel of judges, and all participating exhibitors for contributing to the festival’s success.
The award was described as the result of strong public support and serves as motivation for the Board to continue presenting creative, engaging, and community-oriented exhibitions.
Throughout the festival, the “Warung Rock Ipoh” booth also received a visit from the Johor State Secretary, Dato’ Mohammed Ridha Abdul Kadir.
