Today, you no longer have to lug around a giant box to capture a memory or a perfect moment. You can just snap it from your phone. Perhaps, as a result, many don’t treasure photos as much as the generations before.

But for the nostalgic person or enthusiast of the art of still photography, there is a vintage camera museum right here in Kuala Lumpur.

This camera museum is hidden inside the Gold3 Boutique Hotel in Bukit Bintang and is an enchanting place to visit. There you can view various past models of the mighty camera and trace the evolution of photography.

Inspired by the words of fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld – “What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce” – the hotel is designed to be camera-themed and it showcases cameras from different eras. Visitors can see them at all corners of the hotel.

At the museum’s entrance, you’ll be greeted with warm lights and wallpaper made from old newspapers, evoking the feel of a shop lot from decades ago.

The patterned floor tiles and aged signboard also add to the nostalgia.

One of the first things you’ll see after stepping out of the lift is a wall of old black and white photos of old Malaya.

These snapshots in time range from a record of the iconic moment when the late Tunku Abdul Rahman chanted “Merdeka” at the Merdeka Stadium to old photos of Kuala Lumpur’s railway station at Jalan Sultan.

On the other side is a display of vintage cameras, some dating from 1939’s Kodak Brownie Target to 1965’s Argus Instant Load 146X and all the way to the handheld Super8 camera and Canon’s EOS 40D.

Sticking true to the concept of an old photography shop, a counter is set up further inside the museum. The display case here boasts a variety of photography-related items such as rolls of film and photo albums. There’s also an abacus and an old-school cash register that make for a picture-perfect retro theme.

Do keep your eyes peeled for what’s behind the counter too as there’s a variety of Polaroid cameras for fans of this subsection of photography.

In the centre of the museum is a black large-format camera, complete with a spotlight beside it. Two ornate chairs are set in front of it, replicating the typical setting of an olden day’s photo shoot. It’s definitely an image that’ll stir up old memories for older visitors.

One of the key facilities in photography is the dark room, where photos are processed from film. The dark room in the museum is perfectly set up to show rolls of film, a magnifying glass, bottles that used to contain chemicals and even a sink and a tray.

Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, KL native Jocelyn Ng said she found out about the hidden museum through social media and decided to visit it with a friend.

“I dabble in photography sometimes,” she said, holding her Nikon Coolpix camera.

“It’s very interesting to look at vintage cameras up close like this. You’d usually see them only in pictures. It’s certainly very rare to find these in real life.”

So, if you’re into photography and looking to check out vintage cameras, or even just looking for a cool spot to spend a precious day off work, this museum is certainly worth your time.

Follow Gold3 Boutique Hotel on Facebook and Instagram.

Vintage Camera Museum @ Gold3 Boutique Hotel
179, Jalan Bukit Bintang
Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur

Opening hours: 10am- 6pm daily

Admission: Free

For location, click here.