The ground floor of the Stadthuys houses Melaka's most interesting museum, which focuses on the city's fascinating history and ethnography. Exhibits include a recreation of a rumak Melaka (traditional Melekan house), dioramas of cultural ceremonies and displays of traditional costumes and music. Upstairs the Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery displays a collection of paintings depicting scenes from the colonial era.
One admission ticket gives access to this and all other museums in the complex: the 17th-century Governor's Museum (where the Chief Ministers of Melaka lived); the Democratic Government Museum, with informative displays on the anti-colonial movement, Independence and the Japanese Occupation; a Literature Museum focusing on Melaka's role in the development of Malaysian literature; and an Education Museum.
Free guided tours of the main museum take place at 10.30am and 2.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.
