In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, GMBB is where artists and artisans open their doors and their craft tables to you
Bukit Bintang is known for many things, but tucked along Jalan Robertson is a ten-storey building that does something the rest of the strip doesn’t. At GMBB, the making never stops.
Where Kuala Lumpur’s creatives and creators convene
As a creative community mall on Jalan Robertson, in Bukit Bintang, GMBB contains more than 100 artists, artisans and independent creatives, with galleries, studios and shops stacked close to each other. Each floor opens onto something different, and the whole building thrums with the everyday business of making. Wander in with no fixed plan and let the place pull you along; with installations and exhibitions that are constantly changing, no two visits are ever the same.
Art-filled discoveries
Begin with the galleries, which roam freely across fine art, craft, new media and pop culture. A single afternoon might take you from a thoughtful collection of paintings to an immersive new-media piece to an indigenous craft installation. Because the line-up, which draws from both local and international artists, is always shifting, there’s a real pleasure in not knowing what you’ll find around the next corner.
It’s refreshingly accessible; you don’t need to know anything about art to enjoy it, just bring out your innate curiosity and be open to the experience.
Create with your own hands
The making here is open to everyone, with more than 40 on-demand workshops running daily and no experience required. Try your hand at batik painting, traditional shadow puppet making, beaded keepsake weaving on a loom, terrazzo decor-making, crafting a glowing lantern or pouring your own resin art.
The range spans generations of Malaysian craft with heritage techniques alongside playful modern forms, where a local artisan is always on hand to guide you through each step. There’s something quietly joyful about losing an hour to a single, absorbing task. You may just walk away with a lifelong new hobby or a memorable, one-of-a-kind keepsake made by you.
Meet the makers
Many of GMBB’s artisanal shops – independent bookstores, photography stores, indigenous crafts and design studios – are run by the makers themselves. Browse long enough and a casual chat soon becomes a story about how something was made, told by the hands that made it. Take your time over the shelves, ask where a piece came from, and the answers tend to arrive with warmth and pride. It’s just that kind of place.
No starving artists here
When hunger or tired feet catch up with you, there’s no need to head out. GMBB’s cafés and family-run eateries offer plenty of delicious options, from local favourites to more adventurous flavours, all under the same roof. Getting there is easy too, with a 10-minute stroll from Bukit Bintang MRT, Plaza Rakyat LRT or Hang Tuah Monorail.
Come for the art, stay for the food and leave wondering when you can return.
GMBB is at 2 Jalan Robertson, Bukit Bintang. Open daily from 11am to 8pm. Admission is free. Visit gmbb.com.my or follow @gmbb.kl to find out more.
