MarketFree entry

Central Market

#2of 10 places to visit in Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Also known as Pasar Seni · Central Market Kuala Lumpur · Pasar Seni Kuala Lumpur

Quick answer

Opening hours: 10:00–21:00. Entry is free. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: 10:00 - 12:00.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

Get directionsOfficial site

Photo: Wiki Farazi / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Opening hours: 10:00–21:00; Typically mid-morning to evening, commonly cited as about 10:00-21:00 daily; individual stalls set their own hours and the figure could not be confirmed on the official site.
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 1.5 hrs
Best time of day: 10:00 - 12:00
Best months: Jan – Feb, Jun – Aug
Address: Central Market Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Hang Kasturi, 50050 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

About Central Market

Central Market began in 1888 as a wet market and now serves as a centre for Malaysian handicrafts, textiles, batik and souvenirs, according to its operator. The present Art Deco building, generally dated to 1937, has a blue-and-white Art Deco facade and high-ceilinged halls, and it stands beside the Klang River. Inside, stalls sell batik, pewter, wood carvings and antiques, and the annexe holds galleries and a small art lane. Central Market is five minutes on foot from Merdeka Square and Petaling Street.

Best time of day: 10:00 - 12:00. When stalls have opened and the crowds are light, or after 17:00 when Kasturi Walk fills.

Central Market timings

Central Market opens at 10:00 and closes at 21:00. Those hours hold on Saturday and Sunday too.

Opening hours: 10:00–21:00; Mon–Sun 10:00–21:00; Typically mid-morning to evening, commonly cited as about 10:00-21:00 daily; individual stalls set their own hours and the figure could not be confirmed on the official site.
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	10:00–21:00

Good to know: Hours shorten and many stalls close during Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year and other major holidays.

Opening hours compiled from centralmarket.com.my and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Central Market ticket price

Entry fees for Central Market
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	Free
Concession (student / senior)	Free
Children	Free

Central Market has no entry fee, as of 2026. Individual attractions inside the annexe, such as the Illusion 3D Art Museum, charge their own admission, and prices were not confirmed. Verify shop and gallery hours at the official site.

Prices compiled from centralmarket.com.my and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Central Market

Quiet
Moderate
Busy

10:00 - 12:00
Stalls OpeningBest time to go
Stallholders set up and the halls are cool and quiet, the best window for browsing crafts without a crush.
Quiet
12:00 - 16:00
Midday Tourists
Tour groups and lunch crowds fill the aisles, and the Pasar Besar food counters run long queues.
Busy
16:00 - 19:00
Evening Build
Locals and after-work shoppers arrive as Kasturi Walk food stalls open, and the annexe galleries stay calm.
Moderate
19:00 - 21:00
Closing Hours
Stalls begin shutting toward closing, and Petaling Street next door stays busy well into the night.
Moderate

History of Central Market

Central Market opened in 1888 as a wet market serving Kuala Lumpur's colonial administrative centre, selling produce and meat to the tin-mining town along the Klang River. The Art Deco structure standing today is generally dated to 1937, and the building was later conserved as a heritage structure. The site kept its market role into the late twentieth century and was repositioned in the 1980s as a market for Malaysian culture, art and craft.

Central Market Annexe now houses the Illusion 3D Art Museum, the Art House Gallery of tribal and native art and the KL Story Exhibition Gallery, while the Central Market Art Lane runs about ten studios for local artists. The operator, Central Market Sdn Bhd, runs a Pasar Besar section for food and organises DIY batik painting, henna drawing and traditional-wear stalls as daily activities. The adjoining Kasturi Walk, an outdoor covered street of stalls, links the building to Petaling Street's Chinatown lanes.

Rules & etiquette at Central Market

Central Market operates as an indoor shopping hall with no entry fee, no bag check and no dress code beyond ordinary modest dress. Prices in the main hall are generally marked, while stalls along Kasturi Walk and neighbouring Petaling Street welcome bargaining, so visitors should settle on a price before a vendor wraps or engraves anything.

Central Market stallholders expect a polite counter offer rather than a walk-away threat, and a smile and a fair second bid usually close a deal. Batik cloth, wood carvings and pewter are the safest purchases, but items sold as antique or as brand-name goods near Petaling Street are often reproductions or counterfeits and should be treated as such. Photographing craftspeople at work is normal, though a quick ask before photographing a stallholder's face is courteous. Tipping is not expected at stalls.

Tips for visiting Central Market

1
Central Market rewards a slow loop of the ground-floor stalls before any purchase, since the same batik scarf or wooden mask can differ noticeably in price between adjacent stalls. Arrive between 10:00 and 12:00, when stalls have opened and the halls are cool, and finish with the air-conditioned annexe galleries if a thunderstorm arrives, which is common on wet-season afternoons.
2
Central Market is a five-minute walk from Merdeka Square, and Pasar Seni MRT and LRT station is a short walk away, so it combines with the heritage core easily. Kasturi Walk and Petaling Street are open later in the evening and are best after 17:00, when food stalls open, though pickpocketing and counterfeit goods are common in the Petaling Street crowds. Carry cash in small notes and keep bags zipped in the lane crowds.

How to reach Central Market

The red star is Central Market; the numbered pins are the 8 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Central Market Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Hang Kasturi, 50050 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaDirections in Google Maps

From KL Sentral
2 km · 8-12 min
About RM1-2 by Touch 'n Go card; verify current fare
From KLCC
5 km · 15-20 min
About RM2-3 by Touch 'n Go card; verify current fare
From Merdeka Square
1 km · 10-12 min on foot
Free on foot

Nearest airport

From Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), about 60 km south via KLIA Ekspres to KL Sentral.

Nearest station

From Pasar Seni MRT and LRT station, about a 3-minute walk; Kuala Lumpur KTM station is about 9 minutes on foot.

Central Market FAQs

Is Central Market free to enter?

Yes. Central Market has no entry fee, as of 2026, though individual attractions such as the Illusion 3D Art Museum charge their own admission.

What does Central Market sell?

Central Market sells batik, textiles, pewter, wood carvings, handicrafts, souvenirs and local snacks, according to its operator. The annexe adds art galleries and a small art lane of local studios.

When was Central Market built?

Central Market opened as a wet market in 1888, and its present Art Deco building is generally dated to 1937. The site was repositioned as a centre for Malaysian art and craft in the late twentieth century.

How do I get to Central Market by train?

Take the LRT Kelana Jaya line or the MRT to Pasar Seni station, about a 3-minute walk from the market. Kuala Lumpur KTM station is about a 9-minute walk, and Masjid Jamek LRT is about 6 minutes on foot.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places