A closer look
Why trudge through a stuffy museum when a Malaysian city has literally welded its history onto the sides of buildings? George Town, the vibrant capital of Penang, turned its UNESCO-listed streets into a massive, open-air gallery. Alongside Ernest Zacharevic’s famous interactive murals—where you can physically pose with real bicycles bolted to the wall—the city commissioned dozens of bespoke wrought-iron caricatures. These metal sculptures playfully narrate the neighborhood's scandalous past, from secret society hideouts to famous local shoemakers. It’s a brilliant, highly photogenic scavenger hunt that actually teaches you history without putting you to sleep.
