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8 intriguing museums built on the obsessions of individual collectors
Toys, pencil sharpeners, penises – people amass the oddest things; fortunately, many of those collections are exhibited in museums
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Collecting is almost an obsession for some. And for a few – or their champions – showing off those collections is also a must.
Here are a few of the personal collections now on view for the world to see.
UR-MU@Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Short for “Urban Museum”, UR-MU encompasses three properties, each housing the art collection of a prominent Malaysian, but the original, home to the most eclectic set of works, is UR-MU@Bukit Bintang.
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The paintings, sculptures and installations here – in 10 themed galleries in a renovated 1950s modernist four-storey walk-up in the heart of the capital – belong to architect Dr Tan Loke Mun. They are primarily by Malaysian and regional artists but also include works by Banksy (a welcome mat attached to the ceiling) and Ronnie Wood, of Rolling Stones fame (Save Us, a painted ceramic tiger, 2021). Another highlight – and one of the first things visitors see when climbing up to the first gallery, “People” – is Feast (2013), a huge choreographed photograph of four women by Hong Kong’s Wing Shya.
Entry: 20 ringgit (US$5). Tickets available online only, at ur-mu.com
MINT Museum of Toys, Singapore
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