1958年8月28日，在刚独立的马来西亚的首位总理坦库·阿布杜尔·哈曼（Tunku Abdul Rahma）的倡议下，马里西亚国家美术馆在吉隆坡成立，为国家文化、艺术和遗产部的下属机构，现成为东南亚最为知名的美术馆之一。

    马来西亚国家美术馆位于吉隆坡淡马鲁路，占地面积5.67 英亩，紧邻马来西亚国家剧场和国家图书馆。其独特的建筑融合了马来西亚传统建筑特色与现代建筑元素，成为当地最为现代的艺术场所。美术馆面积13,000平方米，包括五间展厅、会议室、艺术工作间、资讯中心、户外展示区和办公区。

    作为马来西亚官方艺术机构，从20 世纪60 年代开始，马来西亚国家美术馆一直通过国内与国际上的各项展览来支持本土艺术家。其建馆目标为： 收集反映本国与其他国家文化艺术创造性与艺术发展前景的艺术品，并将之列入“ 国家视觉艺术遗产收藏”； 保存、维护、记录与研究“ 国家视觉艺术遗产收藏”中的藏品，并对本国的美术史进行梳理研究； 通过组织国内外展览、研讨会、培训班、竞赛以及其他艺术活动，推动视觉艺术的发展； 培养公众对艺术的认识、理解和欣赏。

    建馆之初，美术馆仅拥有4 件藏品。如今藏品已超过2,500 件，包括绘画、雕塑、素描、水彩、陶瓷艺术品、中国水墨画、摄影、装置、版画等。

National Art Gallery of Malaysia

National Art Gallery of Malaysia was established on the 28th August, 1958 under the initiative of Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of the newly independent Malaysia. An agency under the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, the National Art Gallery is one of the most established art museums in South East Asia.

The National Art Gallery is located on Jalan Temerloh, on a 5.67 hectare site neighboring the National Theater and National Library. The unique architecture of the gallery incorporates elements of traditional Malay architecture, which combined with contemporary lines has distinguished the complex as one of the most modern art venues in the region. The state of the art building which covers 13,000square meters of space includes five galleries in addition to an uditorium, cafe, a resource center, an outdoor exhibition area, a creative center for workshops as well as the gallery's administrative center

As Malaysia's official art institution, it has supported the endeavors of Malaysian artists through exhibitions locally and internationally since the early sixties. The objectives of the Museum include:

To acquire artworks that reflects the creativity and aspiration of the local and International arts culture as The National Visual Art Heritage Collection.

To preserve, conserve, document and conduct research on The National Visual Art Heritage Collection and also the nation s art historiography.

To promote and develop the quality of the visual arts by organizing local and international exhibitions, seminar, workshop, competitions and art activities.

To create awareness, instill understanding and appreciation of the arts.

The National Art Gallery started with a donation of 4 artworks. Today, It has a permanent collection of more than 2500 pieces of artworks, including painting, sculpture, drawing, water color, Chinese ink painting, ceramic, photograph, installation, print etc.