KUCHING: The newly launched Helios exhibition at the Borneo Cultures Museum is expected to inspire deeper public interest in science, creativity and environmental awareness.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the immersive installation, which showcases a giant illuminated sculpture of the Sun, allows visitors to safely observe solar features that are normally invisible to the naked eye.
He said the exhibition offers a meaningful platform to explore astronomy and the vital role of the Sun in sustaining life on Earth, while strengthening the connection between science and art.
“This exhibition is not merely an artwork. It is an immersive experience that celebrates the Sun’s influence on our climate, cultures and collective well-being,” he said.
The Helios exhibition, organised by the Sarawak Museum Department, will run for eight months from November 17 until July 17, 2026.
The exhibition is anchored by a high-resolution spherical Sun model that highlights the star’s immense scale and dynamic surface details.
Abdul Karim said that the exhibition continues the department’s successful series of large-scale celestial installations, following the Museum of the Moon in 2023 and GAIA in 2024.
He added that such initiatives are vital in nurturing interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), particularly among students.
“As Sarawak moves towards its development goals for 2030, exhibitions like this provide an accessible path for our society to explore science through the lens of art,” he said.
Abdul Karim also commended the Sarawak Museum Department for its proactive outreach programmes, noting that more than 2,000 students and community members benefited from 29 school and community engagement programmes held between January and November this year.
He said the Borneo Cultures Museum has recorded a total of 1.5 million visitors since its opening in March 2022, with 265,803 visitors recorded this year alone up to November.
