Now, highlights from his personal collection form the heart of a new museum, offering the public a rare glimpse into the artistry, customs, and history of China’s dynasties.
“It all started during the pandemic. With nothing to do at home, I decided to catalogue my collection. Then I realised, wow, I had so many of them.
“So I thought to myself, instead of just letting them collect dust in the dark, why not allow the public to see them?” Tan told FMT Lifestyle.
The KEN Museum, located in Menara KEN TTDI, opened its doors to the public on Nov 13.
The museum is organised into five main halls: Ancient Hall, Main Hall, Yuan-Ming Hall, Qing Hall, and Century Hall, collectively showcasing around 500 artifacts dating from 960 BC to the 19th century.
Entry proceeds are channelled towards the company’s charitable arm, KEN Foundation, which supports education, healthcare and community initiatives.
Visitors can marvel at the intricate craftsmanship and beautiful motifs showcased in various ceramics, furniture, cutlery, figurines, vases, portraits and more that celebrate China’s glorious past.
Standing at the entrance is a striking figure: a sancai-glazed pottery Lokapala, a guardian from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Once a protector in ancient times, he now offers visitors an unconventional welcome to the majesty of China’s history.
One of the museum’s highlights are book/papers and an inkpad salvaged from the Chau Tan shipwreck, an ancient vessel whose remnants were found in the early 2000s in the coastal waters of Vietnam.
Many pieces of exquisite Chinese blue-and-white porcelain are also on display, as well as a beautiful blue ground gold couched dragon robe from the Qing Dynasty, which features depictions of clouds, bats and dragons.
One particularly adorable exhibit is a collection of painted pottery birds, ducks, roosters and geese with detachable feet from the Han Dynasty. These pottery poultry were excavated from one of the burial pits of the tomb complex of Emperor Jingdi, sixth emperor of the dynasty.
The museum is not the first cultural endeavour for Tan, who is the founder and executive chairman of KEN Holdings.
In 2017, he opened KEN Gallery, also located in Menara KEN, showcasing his private art collection, including modern and contemporary works by distinguished local artists as well as Chinese calligraphy, paintings and ceramics.
Asked to name a favourite from the museum, Tan was undecided.
“There are just so many! Every piece has its own story and its own cultural value. There are so many of them on display here, I’m sure everyone will be attracted to at least a few of them,” Tan said.
“I don’t believe we are really the owners of these artifacts. I think we are just the custodians of them for a while, during our lifetime.”
Tan said he believed all visitors, Chinese and non-Chinese, had a lot to learn from the ancient artifacts on display, particularly about the remarkable achievements of past civilisations.
He added that there are still many items in his collection that have yet to be displayed, and he hopes to showcase them in the museum someday. And of course, he plans to keep adding new pieces to his present collection.
“Overall, I hope this can be a good place to share knowledge. For historians, I hope they can find something here that helps their research. For others, I hope they just enjoy looking at the artifacts and maybe learn something new,” concluded Tan.
KEN Museum
Level 12, Menara KEN TTDI
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 9am–5pm (Monday to Friday)
Price: Suggested donation of RM20
For more information, visit Ken Holding’s website.