The Penang Supreme Court Building is a Palladian style building that was erected by the city authorities back in 1809. The public engineers were operating under a tight budget, and the judicial building was constructed for just 200,000 dollars. Since then the court has held a very important function for the citizens of Penang as the highest judicial institution in the land.

The Museum of Penang dates from the late 19th-early 20th Century. The building was first occupied by the Penang Free School. During World War II one part of the building was damaged and never repaired. However, the rest of the site was transformed into today’s museum by the state government in 1965. Inside, you can learn lots of interesting facts about the population, history and traditions of Penang, and get the chance to see historical artworks and costumes from the area.

Situated on Farquar Street, the Cathedral of the Assumption is one of the most famous churches in town. Built in 1860, it was extended in 1928 to accommodate more worshippers. This Catholic cathedral has the hallmarks of a colonial building, with lots of high windows that give it a very elegant appearance.

St Xavier's is a boy’s school which is considered one of the top day schools in all of Malaysia. The school’s students have won many awards and honors in extra-curricular activities, such as sports, march band competitions and parliamentary debating. The institution was named after Saint Francis Xavier, a pioneering Christian missionary, who co-founded the Jesuits. Opened in 1825, it was first run as an English middle school before being taken over by the De La Salle brothers. Originally located elsewhere, the school has been based at its current building – part of the UNESCO heritage area of George Town – since 1857.

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was built by the merchant of the same name at the end of the 19th Century. There is much for the visitor to see and admire at this magnificent home. It boasts 38 rooms, five granite-paved courtyards, seven staircases and 220 vernacular timber louvre windows. Other notable architectural features include Gothic louvered windows, Chinese porcelain work, Stoke-on-Trent floor tiles, Glasgow cast iron pillars and Art Nouveau stained glass. Interestingly, the mansion was built with careful attention to the principles of Feng Shui. For example, it faces the sea with Penang Hill behind, has water running through the complex and is built with a step in the middle to create a slope, a feature known as riding on the dragon’s back.

This site is the oldest Christian cemetery on Penang Island, having been founded in 1786 by the British colonial administrators of the era. It is famous for the grave of Francis Light, the son of a nobleman from England. Historians differ on whether nobleman William Negus was Francis Light’s son or his guardian. The cemetery, which has been full for decades, contains a number of other interesting graves for visitors to see.

The Eastern & Oriental Hotel is a colonial-style hotel that was established in 1885 by the Armenian Sarkies Brothers. This sea-front property is known for its luxurious accommodation and restaurants. The hotel was originally just the Eastern hotel, but the brothers had such success with it that they constructed the Oriental Hotel soon after and merged the two together. The Armenian Sarkies Brothers also established the world-famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The Eastern & Oriental Hotel suffered a downturn in fortunes after World War II, and was even closed for a time in the 1990s. It reopened under new ownership in 2001.

This 1930s building got its name from the field where King John formalized the Magna Carta. It was originally a one-story house, and was even used by the British Navy as a base during World War II. Since then, it has been expanded to three floors, with guestrooms, a giant ballroom, a post office, a library and a billiards hall. It regularly hosts popular dinner dances. Be sure to admire the view of the water and the palm trees when you visit this classic location.

This university campus occupies a large tract of land known as Homestead. The main building on the site dates from 1919, and has a beautiful colonial style appearance. Legend has it that Yeap Chor Ee, who funded the building’s construction, supported the project just so he could block the sea view of his rival’s mansion across the road. A golden monument to Yeap Chor Ee is situated at the entrance. The Wawasan Open University is the only private university of its kind in the country.