Penang House of Music to shut on Saturday

 

The Penang House of Music, founded by Paul Augustin in 2016, has been affected by increased financial constraints since the number of visitors dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic.

PETALING JAYA: The financially troubled Penang House of Music (PHoM) is set to close on Saturday.

In a Facebook post today, PHoM thanked the public for its “love and support all these years”.

“Do come visit us while you still can,” it said.

The museum highlights forgotten music genres and has a resource centre which serves as a focal point for musicians, scholars, academicians, students and others interested in Penang’s musical history.

PHoM, which was set up with an initial fund of RM3 million from the Penang Water Supply Corporation in 2016, has been reliant on support from the state government since its opening.

Last month, PHoM founder and musician Paul Augustin said the museum is set to close because of increased financial constraints brought about by a drop in the number of visitors during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, he provided no timeline as to when the centre would shut.

The museum has consistently ranked among TripAdvisor’s top 10 “must visit” spots in Penang, and was recognised by CNN as one of the state’s essential experiences.

During a trip to the centre last week, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said discussions were ongoing with MyCreative Ventures, a GLC, to explore options to sustain PHoM’s operations for the long term. -FMT