Welcome to 22 Hale Street.

Thank you for taking the audio guide tour. In this tour, you will learn about the restoration project of 22 Hale Street and the history of Ipoh. 

Have you ever wondered, why is this place called 22 Hale Street?

Jalan Tun Sambanthan where 22 Hale Street is situated was called Hale Street during the British Colonial period. 22 is the lot number of this building.

22 Hale Street is made up of two shophouses, No. 22 and No. 24. These shophouses were built in the 1900s. They are the last remaining original shophouses on this block while the rest were demolished in the name of development.

No. 22 belonged to Ali Pitchay, the Chief Sanitary Inspector of Kinta. The ground floor was once occupied by offices of different trades. There was Lloyd’s Insurance office, a hair salon, architecture firm and signboard maker.  The 1st floor used to be living quarters for around 70 people at one time. 

It was through the economic activity brought by these shophouses that Ipoh prospered as a centre for entertainment. However, following the depletion of its tin deposits and the collapse of tin prices in the 1970s, the city suffered decades of decline and neglect. Many shophouses in Old Town were abandoned, including 22 Hale Street.

Restoration work started in March 2014. The principle of the restoration project was maximum retention, minimum intervention. Old methods and materials of constructions were used, and the original form and structure of the building were maintained as much as possible. Lime plaster was used instead of cement. 

Clay is used for bricks, floor tiles and roof tiles. They are ideal for hot and humid climates as they absorb moisture, cooling the air inside the building. The timber floor and beams were also replaced with salvaged wood from a hundred-year-old rice mill in Kedah. 

Restoration work was completed in December 2017. A decaying building was given new purpose and new life. Today, 22 Hale Street houses a heritage gallery, event space and a gift shop.

Before entering the gallery, here are some reminders.

1. Food and drinks are prohibited in the gallery. 
2. For the safety of you and the exhibits, please leave oversized baggage with our staff for safe keeping.
3. Smoking, including e-cigarettes is not allowed. 
4. Flash photography is not allowed. Do tag us in your photos, we would love to see them. If you have not followed us on social media, check us out on Facebook and Instagram. 
5. Please leave us a review on TripAdvisor at the end of your tour.
6. Should you require any assistant regarding this audio tour system, do not hesitate to consult any of our staff.

We wish you an amazing tour ahead!