Dewan Sri Pinang

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Dewan Sri Pinang is a multipurpose concert hall in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Built in 1972, this three-storey Brutalist building has a 1,300-seat auditorium and is used for state events and performing arts.

Plans for a new civic hall began in 1962, with federal approval in 1965. The project was budgeted at about $2 million, plus a 3-acre site near the Esplanade. The Penang state government and George Town City Council each contributed $250,000. Construction started in 1969 under Chief Minister Wong Pow Nee, and the Public Works Department designed the hall. It opened to the public in 1972.

Today, it hosts state title ceremonies, seminars, weddings, civil service exams, and cultural events such as the George Town Festival. The Penang Philharmonic Orchestra also rehearses there weekly. As part of shoreline conservation plans, there are proposals to upgrade the hall to become Penang’s version of the Sydney Opera House, with upgrades estimated at over RM50 million.