ABOUT SABAH CULTURAL BOARD
Sabah Cultural Board is a state government agency operating under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah. This agency is responsible in managing ethnic’s cultural and arts affair in Sabah.
As a state that exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity and religion, Sabah is famous for its unique cultural heritage that comes from 35 ethnic groups and 217 sub-ethnic groups. The cultural asset is a valuable treasure that should be conserved, preserved and promoted for the sake of the future generation. In ensuring this agenda could be achieved, the organization is working closely with cultural and arts organizations, NGO and foreign agency. The uniqueness of culture is also an important asset in tourism industry in Sabah.
The endeavor of the Sabah State Government to preserve, promote and further develop the cultures and traditions of the various indigenous ethnic groups in Sabah started in 1978 with the formation of Persatuan Kebudayaan Sabah (PKS) or Sabah Cultural Association. The rapid development of culture in Sabah has led to the establishment of Sabah Cultural Board with the existence of Sabah Cultural Board Enactment 1996. Sabah Cultural Board has been playing an important role in the development of ethnic culture and arts in Sabah as well as cultural tourism in line with the development of the state.
As for today, Sabah Cultural Board is divided into 3 main sectors which are The Policy and Strategic Planning Sector, The Arts, Culture and Ethnic Affairs Sector and also The Cultural Centre Sector. Other than sector, Sabah Art Gallery is also one of the main constituents in ensuring the development of visual arts and crafts in Sabah.
Sabah Cultural Board has several cultural centers and galleries, namely Sabah Penampang Cultural Centre, Sabah Murut Cultural Centre Tenom, Tawau Ethnic Gallery and Kota Belud Ethnic Gallery. The operating hours of Sabah Cultural Board Office and Cultural Centers are as follows:
Sabah Cultural Board (Headquarter)
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Monday - Friday : 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Saturday – Sunday: Closed
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Public Holidays: Closed
Sabah Art gallery
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Monday - Sunday : 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Closed during Labour Day
Sabah Penampang Cultural Centre
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Monday - Friday : 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Opened during weekend and public holiday based on program/reservation
Sabah Murut Cultural Centre Tenom
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Monday - Friday : 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Saturday – Sunday: 8.30 am – 3.00 pm
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Public Holidays: 8.30 am – 3.00 pm