The Petroleum Museum sits atop Canada Hill, a low ridge 2km southeast of the town centre that was the site of Malaysia’s first oil well, the Grand Old Lady, drilled in 1910. Appropriately, the old derrick stands right outside the museum, whose interactive exhibits, some designed for kids, are a good introduction to the hugely lucrative industry that has so enriched Miri.
The hill itself is a popular exercise spot, and it’s worth coming here at sunset for the views across town to the South China Sea.