eNewsHound

If you’re the artsy type and in the mood for a great art find, they you’ll not be disappointed if you are in Malaysia . I found that there are several galleries to visit that will keep you busy for a full day and are not hard to get to from any of the Luxury Hotels Kuala Lumpur has to offer.

Put The ARTFOLIO on your list of galleries to visit. It is located in the City Square and has free admission. The gallery as items on display that captures the essence and beauty of Asian culture expressed by Asian artists. Losing track of time is to be expected as you walk around the gallery and take in the beauty of the delicate ceramics and painting.

The next day make your way to the National Art Gallery of Malaysia, located at Jalan Temerloh not far from the National Library, the National Theatre and just north of the city center. The admission is free, but make a note, the gallery closes between 12:15pm to 2:45pm every Friday. The National Art Gallery was built in 1958 by the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman. It is supervised by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism of Malaysia. The gallery promotes the artworks of local and foreign artists which total approximately 2,500 pieces including priceless historical pieces, textile arts, sculptures and the like. It is made up of 5 sub galleries that contain and house permanent and temporary exhibits, workshops, art competitions and seminars. One gallery is referred to as the Resource Center which is the archival for the works of Malaysian artist. You can take a break at the Artscafe which offers free Internet, so while you’re sipping on your mocha and a munching on a snack, send off an email to your friends about all the amazing art your just saw.

If you still have time to check out one more Gallery, I recommend going to the Pucuk Rebung Museum Gallery. Located on the third level of the Ampang Mall of Suria KLCC. Again, the admission is free and the gallery is only open Tuesday through Saturday. The Gallery’s primary objective is to advertise Malaysia’s heritage for all the locals and especially for all the foreign tourist who care to know more about Malaysia’s culture. Once you enter the gallery, you will be mesmerized by the huge collection of art items like jewelery, porcelain, crystals, glassware dating back to the 12th century. Some of the items are even for sale. So, if you are a collector, make sure to put this gallery on your list to visit.

The Kuala Lumpur Tower has announced that it will participate in the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) “Earth Hour” on March 28th. Earth Hour is designed to be a symbolic expression by the public of their concerns over global warming. The event, which began in Sydney, Australia two years ago, has received the full support of the “Tower of Hope” program in KL.

The CEO of Menara Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad, stated that the program “is committed to raising awareness on climate change and being the first monument in Malaysia to participate in this cause. He went on to invite other skyscrapers and large hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to join in this worldwide event.

After 2.2 million businesses and homes in Sydney turned off their lights for one hour in March 2007, the Earth Hour movement exploded. It’s estimated that 50 million people turned off the lights in their homes during last year’s observation. World landmarks also participated — the Sydney Opera House, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Colosseum in Rome all went dark for one hour.

The WWF has reported that some of the world’s tallest buildings will participate in 2009. Taiwan’s Taipei 101 tower and the Burj Al Arab in Dubai have committed to this year’s event. There is hope that the Petronas Twin Towers in KL will also observe the dark hour. (They are the tallest twin towers in the world and once held the record for the world’s 1st and 2nd tallest buildings.)

WWF Malaysia has identified ten buildings in Malaysia that it would like to have participate in Earth Hour. Their website offers the public a chance to vote whether they want to see the Towers and other buildings, such as the Istana Bukit Serene palace, participate.

At this time, 930 cities have officially pledged to participate in Earth Hour 2009. That covers 80 countries and 25 time zones. The goal is to reach one billion participants. Earth Hour begins on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 p.m. on the Chatham Islands off New Zealand.