[1] The museum is located in a former Government Rest House that was built by the Borneo Construction Company Ltd. during the administration of British Crown Colony government in 1946 and completed the following year.

[1] The museum features local indigenous culture and heritage, history, zoology, ethno-botany, Islamic civilisation as well sports.

[1] On 9 September 2018, the Keningau Oath Stone were officially relocated into the museum area.

[2][3][4] The museum is one of the main tourism attractions in Sabah.

[5] In 2015, a former Aussie soldier who had married and stayed in Sabah with local indigenous native spouse donates historical items to the museum.