Penang, Malaysia
Penang Street Art: A Complete Walking Guide to George Town’s Murals
From iconic murals on Armenian Street to hidden gems tucked down quiet alleys — here’s everything you need to find the best street art in Penang, organised by walking route.
Walk down any street in George Town and you’ll feel it — the sense that something unexpected might appear around every corner. A pair of children frozen mid-laugh on a bicycle. A boatman gazing out from a crumbling wall. A boy teetering on a chair that looks like it’s about to topple at any moment. This is Penang’s street art, and it has transformed the historic city into one of Southeast Asia’s most captivating open-air galleries.
The story begins in 2008, soon after George Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Penang State Government commissioned local artists to create installations celebrating the city’s heritage and culture. The movement grew, and by 2012 international artists were being invited to add their own chapters to George Town’s walls. Today, the murals have become as essential to Penang as its hawker food and heritage shophouses.
To help you make the most of your time, I’ve organised this guide into five walking routes, each covering a distinct neighbourhood. You can do all of them in a single half-day, or take it slowly and stretch the experience across a full day with food stops in between.
The Ultimate Street Art Walking Route
Instead of jumping randomly, follow this natural flow:
- Jetty Area (start calm)
- Armenian Street (main highlights)
- Lebuh Ah Quee & Cannon Street (iconic + quirky)
- Muntri Street & beyond (artistic + emotional)
Take your time.
Penang rewards slow travelers.
Stop 1: Heritage & Stories by the Sea (Jetty Area)
Folklore by the Sea – Chew Jetty
Walk to the end of Chew Jetty — the most popular of George Town’s clan jetties — and turn around. On the wall of the building that anchors the jetty to the shore, a mural depicts family life on the water: a father napping, his children playing nearby, a scene of domestic peace disturbed in the most gentle way. Look carefully at the roofline — a cat is poised to leap down. The painting is in good condition and fits its surroundings so naturally it feels less like commissioned art and more like a window into daily life here.
Brother & Sister on a Swing – Step by Step Lane
Tucked down a quiet side alley, this charming mural by local deaf-mute artist Louis Gan depicts a brother and sister standing on a swing. What makes it special is the real swing seat left beside the painted children — visitors can sit and become part of the artwork. The colours have faded considerably over the years, but this only adds a certain melancholy beauty. The plaster around the edges crumbles slightly; the art is ageing alongside the wall it lives on.
Old Soy Milk Stall – Step by Step Lane
Located right next to the Brother and Sister on a Swing, this piece captures a nostalgic slice of daily life. It depicts an “Aunty” serving fresh soy milk to a boy, while a little girl sits nearby enjoying her drink. What makes this one special is the artist’s clever use of a real wooden bench as a prop—you can sit right next to the painted girl and pretend you’re part of their morning snack break! It’s a beautiful tribute to the simple, local flavors that define Penang.
The Old Blacksmith – Toh Aka Lane
Painted in 2024 by local artist Vincent Phang, this is one of the newest murals in George Town — and one of the most meaningful. It honours Mr. Chong Saik Pow, a blacksmith who worked on this very lane crafting anchors for ships, before retiring in 1995. The workshop is gone, but the wall where he worked remains, and Phang has given it new life. Street art at its most purposeful: preserving memory.
Stop 2: Armenian Street – The Heartbeat
Kids on a Bicycle
This is the one. Ernest Zacharevic’s most celebrated work in Penang, originally painted in 2012 and restored by the artist himself in 2025, shows two children riding together on a real bicycle — their faces caught between joy and absolute terror. It has been nominated among the top 15 wall paintings in the world, reproduced on seemingly every tote bag and T-shirt sold on the island, and photographed by an almost uncountable number of visitors. Come early. By mid-morning on weekends, the queue for photos stretches around the corner. Whenever you visit, it remains extraordinary.
Pro-tip: Get here by 8:30 AM if you want a shot without a queue!
I Want Bao
Two children lean out of a barred window, arms outstretched toward a basket of bao buns on a real bicycle parked below. The bicycle is a functioning prop — visitors regularly pose sitting on it, reaching up to mirror the painted children. The Ming Xiang Tai pastry shop right next door has been selling its famous baked goods here for generations; the mural was created partly in its honour. If you feel peckish after stopping for photos, step inside — the wife biscuits and peanut cakes are worth every ringgit.
Children Playing Basketball
Cross back to the main road and look for the narrow gap by the bus stop — most people walk straight past it. Inside, two children shoot hoops beneath a real lamppost repurposed as the basketball net’s support column. The shadow of the ring falls across the wall exactly as it would in real life. It’s one of the most cleverly composed murals in all of George Town, and one of the easiest to miss.
Skippy Comes to Penang
Turn around from the boy on his chair and you’ll find a very large, very self-satisfied cat peering out of an open window across the road. George Town has an affection for its street cats — several murals around the city form part of the 101 Lost Kittens project, created to raise awareness of stray and abandoned animals.
Stop 3: Lebuh Ah Quee & Cannon Street – Icons & Personality
Boy on a Motorbike
A boy wearing a helmet, painted on an old wooden door, sits astride a real motorbike that has been parked in front of the mural to complete the scene. The story goes that Zacharevic borrowed a tourist’s bike left on the quiet street and never looked back. Restored and repainted by the artist in recent years, the mural remains in excellent condition. After taking your photo, turn around completely — on the wall directly behind you is a lesser-known portrait of a man in a Malaysian football shirt that almost everyone misses.
The Real Bruce Lee Would Never Do This
This mural has been slowly disappearing for years, battered by heat, rain, and time. Parts of it are now barely legible. But that ephemerality is, perhaps, precisely the point — street art was never meant to last forever, and watching something fade carries its own quiet power. If you can still make it out, count yourself lucky to have seen it before it’s gone entirely.
Little Boy with Pet Dinosaur
Restored by Zacharevic in 2025, this mural sits directly beside its more famous neighbour. A small boy leads his pet dinosaur on a lead, the dinosaur’s outline rendered in bold black against the crumbling plaster. The damaged, weathered wall doesn’t detract from the piece — it enhances it, making the improbable scene feel strangely grounded and real.
The Boy on a Chair
Just down the street, a boy teeters on a chair that looks, with alarming conviction, like it’s about to tip. The painting is so realistic that first-time visitors instinctively reach out to steady it. Look out for this one before you enter the magnificent Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi clan house nearby — the two make a natural pairing.
Stop 4: Muntri Street & Beyond – The Soulful Side
The Indian Boatman – Stewart Lane
Julia Volchkova’s largest and most commanding work in George Town. The Indian Boatman fills an entire end wall — a fisherman standing in his boat, rendered in shades of ochre, brown, and blue. Look closely at his oar: it begins as wood but gradually transitions into the metal lamppost beside the wall, the mural and reality merging seamlessly. This was one of Volchkova’s first pieces of street art in the world, completed with no payment, as a gift to the city. It shows.
Indian Woman – Stewart Lane
Julia Volchkova’s quietest and, in many ways, most beautiful work in Penang. A woman stands at the base of a large tree, the two forms merging — her silhouette and the tangled roots becoming one shape. The mural is easy to miss entirely; it blends into the wall so naturally that many visitors walk straight past. If you find it, pause. This is street art at its most thoughtful — not demanding attention, but rewarding those who give it.
Little Girl in Blue
Ernest Zacharevic painted this on the grand side wall of the building housing the Goldsmith’s Guild. A girl appears to float in mid-air, bracing herself against the window frames and power cables of the building as if they were a climbing wall. Her dress is rendered in metallic blue — when the afternoon sun hits the wall, it glistens. The painting uses the building’s architecture not as a backdrop but as a genuine part of the composition.
Trishaw Man - Penang Road
You can’t miss this one—it’s humongous! It honors the trishaw uncles who are the living icons of George Town’s streets.
Girl painting Mona Lisa - Off Love Lane
This is such a clever, “meta” piece of art! It features a young girl painting the world’s most famous portrait, but with a street art twist. It reminds me a bit of Banksy’s style—blending classical art with the gritty reality of the streets. It’s a great spot for a photo if you want something that feels a bit more “art-gallery-meets-alleyway.”
The Guitarist for Walking Further - Love Lane Area
Another stunning masterpiece by Russian artist Julia Volchkova. This mural captures the chill, bohemian vibe of the Love Lane area perfectly. It depicts a street musician lost in his music, and the detail in his hands and the guitar is just incredible. It’s a soulful tribute to the travelers and dreamers who wander through George Town with a song in their hearts.
The Hidden Layer – Iron Rod Sculptures
Created by Sculpture at Work.
Most people walk past them.
Don’t.
These are like comic strips made of metal, telling stories like:
- Tok Tok Mee noodle sellers
- Double roles of daily workers
- Cultural humour (cow & fish stories)
- Festival processions
👉 There are 50+ pieces scattered around
👉 If murals are emotion, these are Penang’s personality
My Secret "Pro-Tips" for Your Art Hunt
The Art of Decay: Some murals are peeling. Don’t be sad about it! This is “Ephemera”—art meant to change with time. The way the moss grows over the paint is part of Penang’s “Perfect Imperfection.”
Explore the “Gaps”: Some of my favorite memories are from the unofficial graffiti found in tiny alleys like Hin Bus Depot. Don’t be afraid to wander off the map.
- Stay “Liquid”: Penang’s humidity is no joke. Pair your art walk with stops for Cendol or Nutmeg Juice. Your feet (and your photos) will thank you!
Final Thoughts
Street art in Penang isn’t perfect.
Paint fades. Walls crack. New pieces appear.
But maybe that’s the point.
It’s not meant to last forever.
It’s meant to be experienced right now.
And somewhere between a bicycle, a motorbike,
and a quiet alley you almost missed —
Penang stays with you.
Planning your trip to Penang?
You may want to check out:
👉 Best Things To Do in Penang (2026 Travel Guide)