George Town Street Art In Penang – Where To See These Amazing Wall Murals

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Art is big in George Town, Penang in Malaysia. This is one thing you will notice when you walk around the downtown capital which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. This city became a personal favourite when I visited South East Asia for two months. How so?! The combination of food and art that I talked in this post are the two of the things you that are this colourful and graphic city. We’re focusing on the art part in this post because there will be so much around you and I will take you to a walking tour!

What’s really nice about these George Town street art installations is that they are interactive (or you can make them interactive haha!) The wall murals depicts Penang life. They’ve done a remarkable job telling the story of Penang history, culture, and everyday living. I had fun myself living the Penang life by taking photos with the murals.

I’m going to show you the locations of the iconic murals, the new ones, and even some hidden ones that made Penang a household name in the art scene virally. For my social media friends, they are for sure very instagrammable that you would want to take different types of photos and even I couldn’t decide which one to post let alone what to write as caption. Going around the city felt like it was an open art exhibit. Going from one art to another and another bonus was that it’s outside and FREE.

When Did The George Town Street Art Culture Start

It started in 2012 when Lithuanian Ernest Zacharevic installed 6 murals for the George Town Festival. The murals were highly acclaimed and became internationally known. They are now Penang’s precious landmarks and thousands of tourists visit the city to see and interact amongst other ones installed by other artists as well. Yes! Interactive! What’s super fun about these art is that they are interactive! I had so much fun taking photos of each one trying to put myself with the art. It because a massive hit that even restaurants and cafes have commissioned to have art painted in the walls or installation at the from. Creative artist have left their marks here on the wall and on the streets. You’ll also see many wire art around town popping up here too.

How To See George Town Street Art

There are two ways you can check out George Town street art. Either ride a trishaw, also called rickshaw bike or walk to the sites.

Try Local Transportation By Renting a Trishaw

If you want to try riding Penang’s local transportation Trishaw and you’re also lazy to walk because of the heat. Asian humid weather isn’t for me either. My skins breaks out and sweat buckets then you can go with this option. They are also called rickshaw. I actually did this day 1 of my trip because my aunt and uncle aren’t the walking types. We got a good deal for two trishaws and they took us around the downtown Penang to see the famous murals. Trishaw are everywhere around town and nicely decorated maybe you can pick and choose which one to ride on.

Good Old Legs To Do A Walking Tour

Use your good old legs to walk around and see art is another good idea. You will see more because there are many in most of the main streets and in the hidden alleyways and corners. I also walked because the next day, two of my cousins arrived and I showed them the arts I knew from yesterday and found more. Energetic youths eager to explore what’s around them ended up spending the whole afternoon interacting with George Town murals.

The murals are actually all very close together so it’s a good 30 minutes walk though it will be longer because you would want to take pictures multiple times different poses by yourself or with your group of people. Here are streets to go to see the famous George Town Penang murals!

Where To See The Famous Murals of George Town

There are many MANY street art in the area so you will never got bored exploring the city. Look everywhere around you. Up, down, left, right, and on the street. But first, I highly recommend you visit these streets first for the mains and the other murals are actually even on them so you pretty much won’t miss anything. You can start on Chulia Street/Lebuh Chulia which is close to the Clan Jetties of Penang and there’s one particularly close to it.

Chulia Street/ Lebuh Chulia

Brother & Sister on a Swing

Right on the jetty is the Brother & Sister on a Swing, made by Louis Gan Yee Loong. Another artist like Ernest Zacharevic who built many installations in George Town. It’s a playground swing with two seats. One for the two kids and the other you can use to sit on and take photo with the art!

Susu Soya Asli & Segar

You’ll hit another famous mural Susu Soya Asli & Segar as you keep walking on Chulia Street. Also known as Old Lady Selling Soy Milk and that’s what the sign says. ‘Susu soya asli & segar ‘means ‘original & fresh soy milk’ on sale. You can sit on the chair beside the girl with her soy milk already or ask for a bowl from the nice Penang lady. This is another Louis Gan Yee Loong mural.

Hoola Hoop Basketball

Right across is the Hoola Hoop Basketball mural. Interactive street art of a basketball play in action. Two kids where one is about to shoot and the other blocks the shot! Really cool 3D art because the hoop is an actual one. I’ve seen people take photos with the art either as an offensive or defensive player.

Beach Street

You wanna turn left when you hit Beach Street to see a popular and one of the original murals installed by Ernest Zacharevic.

Boy on a Motorbike

Steps away at the intersection of Beach Street and Ah Quee Street is Boy on a Motorbike. I really liked this mural. Rustic walls around the red door and there’s an actual motorbike with the boy riding on it. His face looking back like he did something mischievous.

Armenian Street/Gat Lebuh Armenian

You’ll see Armenian Street after Beach Street. This one if full of street art and also a main road so it can get quite busy trying to get a photo of the arts on this street and traffic. Also pro tip, if you see an alley way, go in, there’s a high chance there’s hidden art and check every corners and every walls on this street. First, let’s make a right turn and follow delicious the steamed bun smell.

Children Behind Window Bar

Children Behind Window Bar, also called I Want Bao (I like this one more because it’s about food mmm) is an art about kids hungry out hungry for steaming baos inside the basket on a bike! You can sit on the bike and take photos like you’re running away with them! After, turn around and walk back towards Beach Street to see more art!

Traditional Rickshaw Vendor

As I said before, there’s are many other hidden street arts if you check the alleyways and corners of Armenian Street like this one.

Kids on a Bycicle

Little Children on a Bycicle is another Ernest Zacharevic orginal art. Two kids riding on a bike going somewhere. This one’s really cute and the run down effect of the walls gives a really rustic look like the other murals.

Wo Ai Nee Chinese Malay Indian

Wo Ai Nee Chinese Malay Indian is at the corner of Armenian and Lorong Soo Hong. You’ll see it right away because it stands out on the purple wall and they look cute. I like this street art because it shows Malaysia’s culture and diversity. The different ethnicities living in one country in peace and harmony. “I love you Chinese Malay Indian!”

Wire Art in Armenian Street – Procession Sculpture

Procession sculpture on Armenian street is one of the new art in town. Wire art has gained popularity here and they’re very good. They are steel-rod sculpture carved about cool stuff about the street.

Cannon Street/Lebuh Cannon

Boy on Chair

Boy on Chair is another Ernest Zacharevic art on Cannon Street in between Armenian Street and Acheh Street. An interactive art of a little boy standing on an actual stool chair reaching up! You can sit on the chair or reach up like the boy!

Muntri Street

After Cannon Street, walk a back towards the direction of Chulia Street. Turn left and turn right when you hit Love Lane, you will see another Ernest Zacharevic mural.

Little Girl in Blue

Little Girl in Blue is perhaps the largest mural you’ll see here and an unreachable one. It’s high up the wall of close to corner of Love Lane and Muntri Street beside Penang Ta Kam Hong. It’s a little girl dressed in blue ‘lifting’ herself up using the two windows of the building.

The George Town Street Art Walking Tour Route

Basically this is what I did. Here is your walking tour guide map! The said streets and the location of the wall murals!