Finding Aids

Welcome to the Malaysia Design Archive (MDA) finding aid catalogue. MDA documents design, arts, politics, and visual culture materials related to Malaysia.

These finding aids allow you to explore the records of thousands of materials, such as ephemerals, working drafts, magazines, out-of-print publications, and objects that we provide homes for.

Our collecting area includes (but is not limited to) visual materials (posters, paintings, advertisements, photographs, etc.); graphic design and typography work; politics, labour and social history; as well as feminist and women’s history.

We are always working to increase the number of records available for research. We will continue to update the catalogue, if you are unable to find materials or need more information regarding our collections, please get in touch. 

All the materials can be accessed through an on-site visit. For remote viewing, please contact us for further information.

To view our digital collections, see here.

Get in touch with our archivist at: archivist@malaysiadesignarchive.org

List of our holdings:

1. Arts and Theatre (1979 – 2010s)
2. Colonial Advertisements Collection (1900s – 1960s)
3. Design in Malaysia (2000s – 2020s)
4. Farid Kamal Architect (1990s – 2010s)
5. Foo Chiwei Collection (1990s – 2010s)
6. Global Feminist Movement (1970s – 2020s)
7. Kamil Yunus Collection (1992 – 2014)
8. Kampung Attap Archive (1900s – 2020s)
9. Labour Party Collection (or Socialist Front Collection) (1960s – 1970s)
10. Low Poh Li Collection (1990s)
11. Majalah (Malay Magazines) (1950s – 1990s)
12. Majalah Wanita (1970 – 1994)
13. Malayan Emergency (1950s – 2010s, predominantly 1960s)
14. Malaysia Daily Ephemerals Collection (1950s – 2010s)
15. Movies and Music (1940s – 2010s)
16. Out-of-Print Publications (1935 – 2000s)
17. Pandemic Archive (2020s)
18. Protests (Global) (2008 – 2019)
19. Pulau Pinang (1980s – 2020s)
20. Reformasi Collection (1995 – 1999)
21. Sastera Melayu / English-Language Books (1960s – 1980s)
22. Schools and Higher Institutions’ Publications (1950s – 1990s)
23. T-shirt Collection (2000s – 2010s)
24. Tsubaki Collection (2010s)
25. Visual Art Collection (1970s – 2020s)
26. Wawasan 2020 (1980s – 2020s)
27. World Review Magazine (1948 – 1953)
28. Yap Han Soo & Sons Collection (1960s – 1970s)