Cover image via 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
The Borneo Cultures Museum (BCM) in Kuching, Sarawak, has been widely discussed this week after media reports circulated that it is now the "No. 1 ranked museum in the world", ranking higher than iconic institutions such as the Vatican Museums, the Louvre, and the Taj Mahal
The claim surfaced after BCM, in a social media post on 22 October, asked Malaysians to "boost our ranking together" by voting on a Polish-based online platform called Museum World Ranking.
Following BCM's Facebook post, Malaysians responded enthusiastically, with thousands repeatedly clicking the vote button and sharing the link across social media, pushing BCM to the top of the public voting leaderboard.
At the time of writing, BCM, which is Malaysia's largest museum, has over 199,000 votes.
However, these online votes do not affect the website's official and actual global ranking of museums, where BCM remains at 305, its original debut position, while the Vatican Museums, the Louvre, and the Taj Mahal are still ranked first, second, and 99th, respectively.
So, how did the claim that "Sarawak's Borneo Cultures Museum surpassed France's Louvre" spread?
Several news reports in the country described the surge in public votes as BCM being "ranked No. 1 globally", and some public statements echoed this claim.
Speaking to reporters on 5 November, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the "recognition" was expected to boost tourism and underscored the vision of developing BCM into an interactive, world-class museum.
"Alhamdulillah, we have now been named the first in the world. Hopefully, this will attract visitors from around the world to visit the museum," he said.
The Premier also highlighted ongoing efforts to develop Sarawak's museum and tourism offerings, including the planned upgrade of the Natural History Museum and improvements in international connectivity.
An aerial shot of the Borneo Cultures Museum at Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg in Kuching.
Image via Malay MailBCM's growing popularity is significant on its own
Since opening in March 2022, the museum has welcomed over 1.35 million visitors from more than 150 countries, and is the largest museum in Malaysia.
However, the surge in votes does not affect BCM's official global ranking. It remains ranked 305th on MuseumWorldRanking.net, the same position it held before the voting campaign.
The public voting feature simply reflects Malaysians' support and engagement, while the official ranking is determined by criteria such as curatorial standards, collection depth, and international recognition.
While the widespread voting shows strong enthusiasm and pride among Malaysians, the "No. 1 in the world" claim refers to a popularity poll, not the official global ranking used to compare museums.
