ISTANA BESAR

Standing tall in the city of Johor Bahru overlooking the Straits of Johor is the Istana
Besar (Grand Palace) which was built in I 866.There is a Japanese garden and a teahouse garden in its compound. The Grand Palace is only for investiture and royal functions.

ROYAL MUSEUM

What is perhaps most interesting is the Royal Sultan Abu Bakar Museum within the palace. It is a living museum which houses a good collection of royal heirlooms and a good record of the history of the Johor kingdom.

ISTANA BUKIT

The Istana Bukit Serene, the official residence of His Majesty the Sultan of Johor, is another royal palace with a rich history.
 

SULTAN IBRAHIM BUILDING

Sultan Ibrahim Building in Johor Bahru is now a landmark. The building was constructed in the 1940s with a blend of eastern and western architectural. It was named after His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim of Johor It was the aspiration of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim(1895-1959) to have a central state secretariat office that inspired the construction of the building.  Today it is the main office building of the state and houses the State Secretariat. During the Second World War the building was used by the Japanese as a storehouse for goods as well as a fortress. General Yamashita was reputed to have used the tower of the building as the command centre when the Japanese made its final assault on Singapore. Numerous bullet holes can be seen on the exterior walls near the entrance of Gate C.

SULTAN ABU BAKAR MOSQUE

The Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque in Johor Bahru city and the Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim in the town of Muar are two spectacular mosques that exude elegance and magnificence. A mirror replica of Masjid Jamek Sultan Ibrahim, known as Masjid Jamek Kedua, on the opposite bank of Muar River is equally enchanting.
 

OTHERS

Other historical buildings in Johor Bahru district are the Dato’ Onn Jaafar Building, which was the official residence of the first Chief Minister of Johor Galeri Seni (Art Gallery), was the residence of the third Chief Minister.

In the district of Batu Pahat, Perigi (Well) Batu Pahat which gave the district its name was in existence since the 17th century.

Muar district has a string of old buildings that were built in the early 1900s, along Jalan Maharani and Jalan Petrie. These include the Royal Customs and Excise Building, Sultan Abu Bakar Building, Muar High School, High Court Building and the Traffic Police Station. The Bukit Kepong Police Station in Muar has exhibits of the 1950 tragedy that took the lives of nineteen police personnel and four others; it will soon be made a museum.

KITE MUSEUM

Other than the Royal Museum, the Johor Bahru district has a Kite Museum. The museum is located in Pasir Gudang which is about forty minutes drive from Johor Bahru city. It is a fascinating place which showcases the art of making kites and displays a collection of kites in spectacular colours and designs. It is the setting for the acclaimed annual International Kite Festival.

PINEAPPLE MUSEUM

Learn all about pineapple cultivation and view for yourself how useful the fruit can be by visiting the first and only one in Malaysia, the Pineapple Museum. Discover that materials can be made from the leaves of the pineapple plant. The Museum is located in the district of Pontian.

BUGIS MUSEUM

Experience what life was like in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when the Bugis from Celebes in the Sulawesi came to Malaya when you visit the Bugis Museum in Pontian.

 
VETERINARY MUSEUM

While in Batu Pahat a visit to the Veterinary Museum is most interesting. It brings excitement to. the world of veterinary science.

FISHERMAN MUSEUM

Discover life at sea as a fisherman while viewing the exhibits in the Tanjung Balau Fisherman Museum. It is located in the district of Kota Tinggi.

JOHOR LAMA FORT

Historic Kota Tinggi is home to the old capitals of Johor. In Kampong (Village) Johor Lama there is the Johor Lama Fort which was once the ancient capital of Johor. The Fort was on high ground where you can have a good view of the Johor River and the land beyond it. Explore and discover that the river that was an important waterway in the early 17tb to 19h centuries that shaped the history of ancient Johor.

MAKAM TAUHID

The site of another ancient capital is Makam (Tomb) Tauhid in Kampung Makam.  Kampung Makam, as the name implies, the Village of Tombs, has several ancient tombs. The tombs of Sultan Mahmud (Makam Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang) and Tun Habab (Makam Tun Habab) are found in the village. Other ancient tomb sites in the Kota Tinggi district are located in Kampung Kelantan, Kampung Panchor, Kampung Bukit Seluyut and Kampung Sayong Pinang.

ROYAL MAUSOLEUM

In Johor Bahru, the most significant tomb is the Royal Mausoleum in Jalan Mahmoddiah, while other ancient tombs are found in Sri Medan and Parit Sulong in the district of Batu Pahat.

MAKAM SULTAN ALAUDDIN RIAYAT SHAH

After the fall of Malacca in the 16th century to the Portuguese, Muar became a base for the defeated Sultan to launch his attack against the foreign invasion. The tomb of the Malacca Sultan (Makam Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah) is located at Kampung Raja, Ulu Pagoh. Ulu Pagoh is also the site of the tomb of a famous Malay warrior (Makam Panglima Mat Berani) while the tomb of another Malay warrior (Makam Panglima Lidah Hitam) is located at Parit Sakai Laut.

PARIT SULONG BRIDGE

The Second World War brings grim reminders of the horrors of war. At Bakri, Muar the Allied forces repelled a Japanese attack by wiping out the Japanese Gotanda Tank Company Vehicles and then retreated to Parit Sulong in Batu Pahat.  The Parit Sulong Bridge was the site of the most grisly action in the Malaya campaign by the Japanese. The incident will always have a special place in the Australian military history.

BRITISH ARMY OBSERVATION CENTRE

Kota Tinggi district has a British Army Observation Centre in Tanjung Pengelih that was equipped with an air control tower, an underground hospital, pill boxes and other facilities. Machine gun pill boxes are still standing in Kampung Tembioh and along the Kota Tinggi - Mersing trunk road. These are the few static defense positions constructed by the British in their defense against the Japanese.

The broken bridge over the Upper Muar River at Buloh Kasap in the district of Segamat was the bridge demolished by the retreating British forces during the Second World War.