Central Market—The Artistic Soul of KL

Central Market, the century-old establishment found in the middle of Kuala Lumpur and one of the city’s most significant art & craft centres, recently welcomed the addition of the brand new Kasturi Walk--a covered retail area built over Lorong Kasturi, the lane next to Central Market.
The newest addition to the site, the Kasturi Walk boasts 3 giant, awe-inspiring pewter-coated polycarbonate wau bulan.walk. The structure is constructed using modern architectural methods, yet the design--particularly the emphasis on the three wau bulans—manages to balance things out by adding in a heavy touch of Malay art, culture and heritage to the atmosphere. The walkway project is targeted at attracting more tourists and interest to the Malaysian arts and crafts centre.
Central Market began its life as an open wet market all the way back in 1888, and KL’s rapid development necessitated a proper building for all the vendors, and an upgrade in the 1930s created the appearance we know and love today.
KL’s rapid evolution soon resulted in the unfeasibility of a wet market located so deep inside the city’s urban jungle. Central Market would have been demolished in the 1970s, if not for the efforts of the Malaysian Heritage Society, which turned it into a centre for Malaysian culture, arts and handicraft. Central Market continues to promote Malaysian heritage to both locals and tourists alike to this very day.
Although the external appearance has remained unchanged, Central Market had undergone various upgrades throughout the years. Today, other than a variety of arts, handicrafts and cultural items, one can also find many modern facilities in Central Market as well as modern commercial shops such as Secret Recipe and Famous Amos—a blend of traditional wonder and modern convenience, all under one roof.
The role of Central Market as an arts centre was further expanded upon with the launch of the Annexe—a building located behind the main structure that houses a variety of different art galleries. Notable galleries include the Annexe Gallery (popular as a venue for contemporary art activities and exhibitions), Art House Gallery (the longest running private gallery in Malaysia, founded in 1965) Museum of Ethnic Arts (a massive collection of arts and crafts from tribal communities around Malaysia) and many more.