KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 -- The 113-year-old Seri Negara finally reopened its doors to the wider public in December 2025 after an intensive 10-month restoration exercise.

The round-the-clock restoration work, led by Khazanah Nasional under the Warisan KL initiative, uncovered many fascinating facets of the heritage building's colourful past.

Seri Negara was constructed in 1913 on Bukit Carcosa - which gets its name from the Carcosa that was built in 1898 for the British Resident-General of the Federated Malay States.

Fun fact: The Perdana Lake located in the vicinity was once called Lake Sydney, named after the wife of Sir Frank Swettenham, the first British Resident-General of the Federated Malay States.

The Seri Negara served as the offi...