Stadthuys Malacca Visitor Guide for First-Time Visitors
The Stadthuys is the red Dutch-era town hall on Dutch Square in Malacca City. This guide covers its opening hours, ticket prices, what the museum inside holds, the building's history and how to reach the square. Last updated November 2026.
Many visitors photograph the red walls and walk on, yet the building houses the History and Ethnography Museum. The same ticket also covers several other museums that Perbadanan Muzium Melaka (PERZIM) runs in the complex, so the details are worth knowing before you go.
Visiting Stadthuys (Dutch Town Hall): Hours and Tickets
The Stadthuys stands on Jalan Laksamana in Dutch Square, also known as Red Square, beside Christ Church and the red clock tower. Today it houses the History and Ethnography Museum, run by PERZIM. The square is part of Melaka, one of the two Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca that UNESCO inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2008.
PERZIM's ticket page lists the museum as open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with last entry at 4:30 PM. It is closed on Mondays. Tourism Malaysia's Dutch Square page shows different hours, but PERZIM runs the museum, so its schedule is the one to plan around.
Non-citizen adults pay RM20 and non-citizen children pay RM10. Malaysian adults pay RM10 and Malaysian children pay RM5. Many guides quote RM10 for adults, but that is the Malaysian citizen rate; foreign adults pay RM20.
- Address
- Jalan Laksamana, Dutch Square (Red Square), Malacca City, Melaka, beside Christ Church and the red clock tower.
- Opening Days and Hours
- Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with the last entry at 4:30 PM.
- Foreign Visitor Tickets
- Adults pay RM20 and children pay RM10. The ticket covers the History Museum, Ethnography Museum, Education Museum, Literature Museum, TYT Museum and the Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery.
- Malaysian Tickets
- Adults pay RM10 and children pay RM5 for the same ticket.
- Closed Day
- Monday is the weekly closing day, so plan the interior visit for another day of the week.
Museums Inside the Stadthuys and What to See
The building, which PERZIM also calls Rumah Merah, holds the History and Ethnography Museum. The history section follows Malacca from its establishment around 1400 through the Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese periods to Malayan independence in 1957. The ethnography section turns to the life and culture of the Malay, Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, Baba and Nyonya, and Chitty communities. Displays include wedding scenes, kitchen utensils, musical instruments, porcelain, weapons, stamps and old currencies.
The same ticket also covers the Education Museum, Literature Museum, TYT Museum and the Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery, which PERZIM lists in the same complex. For visitors weighing the RM20 foreign fare, that bundle is the main reason the ticket is good value.
The museum has its own timeline worth knowing. A History Museum opened in the Stadthuys on December 17, 1982, and the building closed for restoration in 1986. The combined History and Ethnography Museum was officially opened by the Prime Minister on April 15, 1992.
Why the Stadthuys Is Red: A Short History
The name Stadthuys is an old Dutch spelling that means city hall. The Dutch built it around 1650 as the office of the Dutch governor and deputy governor. Sources disagree on the exact year: Wikipedia gives 1650, a Tourism Malaysia map guide says 1645, and The Edge says it was built between 1641 and 1660 on the ruins of a Portuguese fort.
After the British takeover, the building served as the Treasury, Post Office, government offices and apartments for senior officials. It was originally white. In 1911, under British rule, it was painted red together with the neighboring Christ Church, and that red has since become the hallmark of Malacca's Dutch-era buildings around the square.
Knowing this changes how the square reads. The Dutch did not paint the building red, so the color in most photos of the square dates from the British period, not the Dutch one.
How to Get to Stadthuys and Plan Your Day
The Stadthuys is on Jalan Laksamana in Dutch Square, in the heart of Malacca City, beside Christ Church and the red clock tower. Tourism Malaysia's Dutch Square page says the square is right opposite Jonker Street, a short walk away. Trishaws wait on the square itself for rides around the old city center.
From Melaka Sentral bus terminal, BAS.MY Melaka route M100, the Bandaraya Melaka Feeder loop, runs through the old city; its route map passes Jonker Street and the A Famosa area. Buses leave every 30 minutes from 6:00 AM to 10:30 PM Monday to Thursday, and every 20 minutes from 7:00 AM to 10:20 PM Friday to Sunday. The route sheet does not label a Stadthuys stop or state the fare.
Monday is the most common planning mistake, since the museum is closed that day. Arrive in time for the 4:30 PM last entry, as new visitors are not admitted after that even though the museum stays open until 5:30 PM. Families can note the RM10 foreign child ticket, which covers the same museums as the adult fare.
The square, Christ Church and the red clock tower can be seen from outside without a museum ticket. Buy one if the history and ethnography galleries interest you, since the RM20 foreign fare covers every museum on the PERZIM ticket.
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What to See Around Dutch Square
The Stadthuys is the centrepiece of Dutch Square, and its neighbors on the square are part of the same red group of buildings. For other sights in the city, browse our Malacca attractions guide.
- Christ Church and the Red Clock Tower
- Both stand beside the Stadthuys. Christ Church was painted red together with it in 1911, and the clock tower was also turned red under British administration.
- Trishaw Ride
- Trishaws wait on the square for rides around the old city center.
- A Famosa
- The M100 bus map passes the A Famosa area; our A Famosa guide covers the visit.
- St Paul's Church
- See our St Paul's Church guide for another of the city's landmarks.
- Baba and Nyonya Heritage Museum
- A natural follow-on to the Baba and Nyonya displays in the ethnography galleries; our Baba and Nyonya museum guide explains the visit.
- Cheng Hoon Teng Temple
- Read our Cheng Hoon Teng Temple guide before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Stadthuys entrance fee for foreigners?
Perbadanan Muzium Melaka charges non-citizens RM20 per adult and RM10 per child. Malaysians pay RM10 per adult and RM5 per child. The ticket covers the History Museum, Ethnography Museum, Education Museum, Literature Museum, TYT Museum and the Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery.
What are the Stadthuys opening hours?
The History and Ethnography Museum in the Stadthuys is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. Last entry is 4:30 pm.
Is the Stadthuys open on Mondays?
No. Perbadanan Muzium Melaka lists its museums as closed (tutup) on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday.
What is inside the Stadthuys?
The building houses the History and Ethnography Museum. The history galleries cover Malacca from its founding through the Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese periods to independence in 1957. The ethnography galleries show the cultures of Malacca's Malay, Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, Baba and Nyonya and Chitty communities, including wedding displays, porcelain, weapons, stamps and old currencies.
When was the Stadthuys built?
Wikipedia dates it to 1650, when the Dutch built it as the office of the Dutch governor and deputy governor. Other sources give different dates: a Tourism Malaysia map guide says 1645, and The Edge says it was built between 1641 and 1660 on the ruins of a Portuguese fort.
Why is the Stadthuys red?
The Stadthuys and the neighbouring Christ Church were originally white and were painted red in 1911, under British rule. The red has since become the hallmark of Malacca's Dutch-era buildings around the square.
Does one ticket cover more than one museum?
Yes. The same ticket includes the History Museum and Ethnography Museum in the Stadthuys plus the Education Museum, Literature Museum, TYT Museum and the Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery in the same complex.
How do I get to the Stadthuys by bus?
From Melaka Sentral bus terminal, the BAS.MY Melaka M100 'Bandaraya Melaka Feeder' loop runs through the old city every 30 minutes Monday to Thursday and every 20 minutes Friday to Sunday. The Stadthuys stands on Dutch Square beside Christ Church and the red clock tower.
The Stadthuys rewards visitors who go beyond the red facade and step into the museum. With one RM20 foreign ticket covering several PERZIM museums, the building is a practical anchor for a Dutch Square visit.
Remember that the museum is closed on Mondays and that last entry is at 4:30 PM. Pair it with Christ Church, the trishaws and a walk across to Jonker Street for a rounded look at old Malacca.
Planning more of Malacca? See our guides to things to do in Malacca, the best time to visit Malacca and the Jonker Street night market.