Steeped in history, Seri Negara is now open for anyone who wants to enter the highly elusive world of the Young family.
It’s 2018. You step into the cinema to watch Crazy Rich Asians. You swoon over Nick Young, feel frustrated with his elitist mom Eleanor, and root for Rachel Chu as she proves that dignity and true love can conquer everything. Through all that and the film’s dazzling parties, high-fashion outfits, and lavish locations, one question lingers in your mind: “How the hell do I get to live like a crazy-rich Asian?”
Fast-forward to 2026, and the opportunity comes for you to make that dream come true—well, at least for a day. The opulent ancestral home of the Young family—known as the Seri Negara in real life—has finally reopened to the public for the first time in six years.
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Many of the picture-postcard scenes in Jon M. Chu’s groundbreaking movie were filmed in Singapore—from the ethereal CHIJMES chapel for Colin and Araminta’s wedding to the Marina Bay Sands Skypark for the pool party finale—but the lavish Young family mansion is actually found in Malaysia. The movie used a combination of real places and custom sets to recreate the grandiose estate, but if you want to experience the real thing, now’s your chance.
Located at the Kuala Lumpur Lake gardens in Malaysia, the Seri Nagara has, in fact been, welcoming guests for free since Dec. 20, 2025, after undergoing a meticulous restoration ten months prior. Fans of Crazy Rich Asians and other tourists now have the chance to recreate scenes from the blockbuster hit, explore the galleries and cultural exhibitions at the expansive property, and discover more about its historical significance.
The mansion gained international attention through Crazy Rich Asians, but more than anything, it has been a cultural landmark showcasing Malaysian heritage. It was built way back 1913 as the “King’s House,” serving as the residence of British High Commissioners during the colonial period.
It was later used as an official guest house for visiting dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II. More importantly, it played a crucial role in Malaysia’s independence, as it was where the country’s constitution was drafted from 1955 to 1957. It later opened as a luxury heritage hotel in 1989 but ceased operations in 2015 because of the high maintenance costs that the expansive, 112-year-old property entails.
Its recent restoration was led by Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional, under its Warisan KL program. In an interview during its relaunch, Khazanah’s managing director, Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir told Malay Mail that completing the project in just ten months is a remarkable feat for the agency.
“Restoring a Category 1 heritage building is never easy and normally takes around two years,” he told the outlet. “Alhamdulillah, Seri Negara was completed in just 10 months.”
The restoration prioritized keeping the historical property to its truest form—colonial-era details were carefully preserved, while architectural elements were refurbished using archival references. One of the highlights of the project is repositioning the mansion’s grand wooden staircase to its original location after it had been moved when the mansion operated as a hotel.
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What to do in Seri Negara
If you’re a fan of Crazy Rich Asians, the Seri Negara should be on your “set-jetting” list for several reasons. Here, you can pose as Rachel Chu and recreate iconic moments in the palace’s grand halls and verandahs with luxurious colonial-style features.
You can simply take a stroll and take in the beautiful Kuala Lumpur skyline from the estate grounds, or visit the adjacent Botanical Gardens for beautiful nature-filled shots contrasting the mansion’s white facade.
The heart of the renovated Seri Negara, though, is its galleries that celebrate Malaysia’s journey to nationhood. Gallery 1 is titled “The Wall Speak’ and features a cinematic short film that speaks about the historical significance of Seri Negara. Gallery 2, or “People, Power, and Place,” will take you back to pre-independence Malaya, while Gallery 3 or “Witness to History” showcases historical artifacts that were key to Malaysia’s birth as a nation. The final gallery, dubbed “Merdeka and Nationhood,” celebrates the country’s indepedence and milestones in its journey of modernization.
After marveling the expansive property as Rachel Chu, an art enthusiast, or simply a causal traveler, you can cap off the day enjoying Malaysian-inspired meals or afternoon tea at the new Semuka Cafe and exclusive Serai House.
Entrance to the Seri Negara is free, but you must register for a time slot through the its website. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday at Persiaran Tuanku Ja’afar, Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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