Kuching Heritage 3D pops up

KUCHING: A pop-up guidebook is turning 12 of the city’s landmarks into three-dimensional paper displays, offering a fresh way to explore local heritage.

Created by Jack Leong, the Heritage Pop-Up Guidebook combines illustrations, paper structures, historical information and fun facts to make learning about Kuching’s landmarks more engaging.

The guidebook features the Borneo Cultures Museum, Sarawak Museum, Kuching City Mosque, India Mosque Kuching, The Astana, Sarawak Legislative Assembly, Fort Margherita, Old Court House, Kuching General Post Office, Siew San Teng temple, Padungan Great White Cat Statue and St Peter’s Church.

It also includes an introduction to Kuching and a map to help readers locate the featured landmarks.

Leong recently presented the book to Sarawak Museum Department’s Director, Anielia Siam, in the presence of Sarawak Heritage Society’s (SHS) President, Datin Rosemarie Wong-Jabu.

During the presentation, Leong explained how he designed and illustrated the book himself, including developing the initial prototype and cutting the paper components before arranging for the printing and assembly.

“The exchange reflects the potential for creative publications to bridge heritage preservation, education and tourism, making Sarawak’s history more accessible to a wider audience,” it said in a statement today.

It is said that Leong further opined that, through this book, it offers a different way of introducing heritage to readers, particularly younger audiences, by turning information about historical buildings and places into a visual and interactive experience.

Rather than simply reading about a landmark, readers can see its structure unfold on the page, making the learning experience more tangible and memorable.

The guidebook is available to purchase at various locations including the Ranee Hotel, Kuching, and on Shopee.

For the record, Leong is also developing a second, simpler guidebook featuring Kuching’s landmarks, with brief introductions and space for readers to collect stamps, sketch or write their own notes.

“Expected to be released soon, the new publication is intended to be more interactive and affordable,” it said.