The original school building has existed since 1817. The museum opened there in 1965, inspired by Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman.
The building will be closed for two years, and the museum will move temporarily to the second museum on Macalister Road in July.
The building’s interior will be renovated and modernised, but its unique structure, which dates back to the British era, will be maintained.
An annexe will also be constructed in the open space beside the building to house art collections.
Meanwhile, an initiative called the Magnet, an acronym for the Museum and Art Gallery Network, is set to garner more local artwork for the building.
At a press conference in Komtar today, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the building had never been upgraded or restored in the two centuries since its formation.
“The building has been deteriorating due to rising damp that put the building and its artefacts at risk.”
He said the project would be undertaken by the tripartite George Town Conservation and Development Corporation (GTCDC).
The partners in GTCDC are the Penang Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI), Think City Sdn Bhd and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
GTCDC is a special purpose vehicle to improve public infrastructure as per the George Town Special Area Plan.
It is currently involved in the improvement, regeneration, activation and upgrading of the Waterfront Precinct, the Clan Jetties, the Street of Harmony at Pitt Street, Fort Cornwallis and Syed Al-Attas Mansion.
Of the RM20 million needed for the project, RM2 million would come from CMI while RM18 million would come from the Aga Khan Trust, Lim said.
“The goal of the renovation is not only to restore a historic icon, but also to create a modern museum equipped to function as an important cultural resource for the community,” he told reporters here today.