GEORGE TOWN: THE Penang Peranakan Mansion has opened a new section featuring a collection of Peranakan garments and footwear. It will be open to the public next month.
The Pinang Peranakan Mansion showcases the rich history of the Baba and Nyonya community in the state.
Museum proprietor Peter Soon said the section was set up to complement the existing range of artifacts on display at the museum in Lebuh Gereja.
Soon said these included thousands of beaded shoes, both for men and women.
Among the items featured in the section were traditional Peranakan handkerchiefs, pillows as well as purses.
He gave the media a sneak preview of the section in a tour of the newly-refurbished extension at the museum recently.
“The new section is intended to showcase the intricacies of the Peranakan culture in the area of embroidery which is more than a century old.
“Visitors can examine and appreciate the delicate Peranakan embroidery.
“Some of the beaded shoes on display are either inherited from my ancestors or through resale, with a few pairs dating as far back as the 1900s.”
Soon also displayed a pair of adorable miniature beaded shoes.
He said this item was part of an age-old custom practised during
the full moon ceremony for newborns.
“The shoes, which are about the size of my palm, used to be given to couples to celebrate the arrival of their baby,” he said.
However, Soon said the date for the opening of the section has yet to be set.
With more than 1,000 pieces of antiques, artifacts and collectibles on display, the Baba-Nyonya museum is housed in one of Penang’s heritage mansions.
It features an eclectic design and architecture.
The museum celebrated its 10th anniversary earlier this year.