Welcome to MOSAIC, KL’s Most Playful Museum

Where Wayang Kulit Meets Wall Climbing

ANN MARIE CHANDY | 11 December 2025

Cool art and fun surprises everywhere! MoSAIC has all the ingredients for kid-sized joy.

ON a busy stretch of Jalan Tun Perak – between the hum of LRT trains and the stately silhouettes of Panggung Bandaraya and Merdeka 118 – sits one of Kuala Lumpur’s quietly transformative and relatively new spaces for children. It doesn’t shout for attention, and perhaps that’s why many call it a hidden gem.

But step inside MoSAIC (Museum of Science, Arts and Innovation for Children), and you understand immediately: this is not simply a museum. It is a playground of ideas, a storytelling machine, and a small revolution in how KL nurtures its youngest citizens.

When MoSAIC opened its doors in February this year, it transformed four forgotten floors of the Yayasan Ubaidi building – which had been left unused for 11 years – into a colourful, lively haven for young creators.
When co-founders Fiza Zin and Karimah Koh first unlocked the doors, they were greeted by pigeons and decades of dust! But where others saw a forgotten space, they saw possibility – especially for children who rarely experience museums designed specifically for them.

Funded through grants and contributions from Think City and private supporters, MoSAIC began as a purpose-driven initiative within Warisan KL. For Fiza and Karimah it was then and continues to be first and foremost a love letter to the children of KL: a place where creativity, play and culture intersect.

A kid magnet: the rescued-toy train track, starring classics such as Thomas the Tank Engine Collection.

“In reimagining our city, we are building a space where children and families can co-create, explore and dream about the future of KL,” says Fiza. “MoSAIC hopes to become a welcoming doorway for children to connect with the heart of Kuala Lumpur. By placing a children’s museum right in the city centre, we want young visitors to feel that this is their space – a place where they can explore, play, imagine, and see themselves in the stories of KL.
“Our goal is to nurture confident young city-makers who view the city centre not as an adult-only zone, but as a shared home for learning, community and inspiration.”

Toys, Traditions and Technology

While some modern children’s spaces may choose to focus on screens and digital immersion, MoSAIC chose a different path. Early focus groups made this clear. When asked what they wanted, school leavers didn’t request VR goggles or giant LED walls – they wanted to learn to play congkak, batu seremban, and other tactile, communal games.
Fiza and Karimah were surprised and decided to scrap their initial plans and start from scratch. The result is a space filled with hands-on experiences:

A rescued-toy train track curated with Toy Library Malaysia, featuring classics such as Thomas the Tank Engine
A kampung-themed play area with a kedai runcit and kopitiam
Craft-making stations and performance corners
A music room with a play “deejay booth”
A rock climbing wall, architecture play labs and interactive art spaces
A quaint café with a balcony that opens out toward the passing LRT

Aina Mardhia and volunteers of all ages transformed Old KL into a glowing UV mural – vibrant colours that burst to life under light. Below: Become part of the show! This motion-capture shadow screen turns your moves into a real-time Wayang Kulit show.

With a Yayasan Hasanah ArtsFas grant freshly in hand, the museum’s current signature programme Bayangkanlah KL uses wayang kulit as a storytelling tool to help children reimagine the city – its past, its present, and its possibilities.

Kids craft their own puppets, step behind a screen, experiment with coloured lighting and perform little stories about themselves and the city. It’s art, heritage, performance and urban imagination all rolled into one.

“We wanted to tell the story of Kuala Lumpur in a way that children can interact with – not just see,” said Fiza.
Bayangkanlah KL is a collaborative effort powered by a community of artists, educators, and cultural practitioners, including lead artist Cikgu Huda, artist and puppeteer Maisyarah Mazlan, watercolour artist Novia Shin, multimedia artist Lim Thien Yu and graphic artist Shandi Chang.

“Together, they bring storytelling, craftsmanship, digital creativity, and heritage to life,” said Fiza. “Creating an immersive world where children can explore Kuala Lumpur through imagination and play.”

Meet Piji, MoSAIC’s cheeky pigeon mascot! MoSAIC staff Tommy showing off a puppet you’ll get to make – a little nod to the pigeons who lived here first.

A Museum Built With Heart

Turning four empty floors into a child-friendly museum was no easy feat. The team spent more than a month clearing debris, replacing fixtures, and ensuring the space was safe and non-toxic. From rounded furniture edges to chemical-free paints and dedicated calm rooms for sensory-sensitive children, every detail was considered.

Fiza and Karimah even remind parents to take the train instead of driving – turning the journey to MoSAIC into the first chapter of the child’s adventure. For many children, it is their first-ever ride on public transport!

“We’re doing something good for the kids, and for the city too,” Fiza reasons. “Our carbon footprint matters. The museum should be part of a larger experience of exploring KL.”

Some of the walls of MoSAIC feature nostalgic watercolour cityscapes by artist Novia Shin, placed deliberately at children’s eye level. These playful “search-and-find” illustrations depict familiar KL scenes – Pasar Seni, Merdeka Park, Petaling Street – peppered with hidden objects (“Where’s the blender? Where’s the pink kuih?”). Parents and children huddle together, laughing, searching as a team.

“It’s amazing to see the bonding,” Fiza said. “That was always part of the intention.”

After their time at MoSAIC, familes then can easily venture out to the other interesting spots they have just learnt about, including Dataran Merdeka, Central Market, Masjid Jamek, the Textile Museum, River of Life, Petaling Street and so much more.

The museum overlooks the LRT track and Menara 118 — a guaranteed thrill for kids (and grown-ups, too!).

Designed for Return Visits, Not One-Off Trips

Because every corner is based on learning through play, content needs to be refreshed regularly. MoSAIC cycles through themes, with four major themes planned for 2026, each transforming the experience.

There’s also a very unique children’s reading room currently curated by veteran educator Nor Azhar Ishak (Uncle NAI), complete with picture books and props to bring stories to life – it’s unlike other libraries, because you get to peak into Uncle NAI’s favourite tales.

“We don’t want to be like other playlands. This is a museum – rooted in culture, art and science,” Fiza said. “It’s not easy, but we want kids to keep coming back.”

MoSAIC caters mainly to children aged 4 to 12, with workshops for teens – street photography, financial literacy, and career exploration. But there is also a charming side story: parents have been asking if they can play too!

MoSAIC used to cleverly say “no adults without kids”… but now the team is actually considering an adults-only play day – proof that the museum taps into a universal truth: play isn’t just for children!

'In reimagining our city, we are building a space where children and families can co-create, explore and dream about the future of KL,' says MoSAIC co-founder Fiza Zin.

A Private Initiative With Public Impact

Despite being open for less than a year, this little museum that could is already changing how families experience culture in the city. Many have discovered it by accident. Marketing has been minimal, because funds are tight.

“We’ve been running it out of our own pockets,” Fiza admits. “But it’s time more people know we exist!”

The museum is wheelchair-accessible and open Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm. But more importantly, it’s accessible in spirit – a safe, joyful space where children from all backgrounds, creeds and countries can explore KL in new, imaginative ways.

MoSAIC proves that the future isn’t shaped only by committees and consultants – sometimes it begins with tiny hands, big ideas, and a box full of well-loved toys.

MoSAIC
Address: Level 5, N0.10, Jalan Tun Perak, 50050 Kuala Lumpur
How to get there? By train, of course! Take the LRT to Masjid Jamek Station and it’s a three minute walk from there.

To learn more, visit their website or Instagram.

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