Interior of ther Royal Regalia Museum with sultan's gilded coronation cart and shields.

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Royal Regalia Museum

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When called upon to present a gift to the sultan of Brunei, you must inevitably confront the question: what do you give a man who has everything? At this entertaining, dome-capped museum you'll see how heads of state have solved this conundrum. Offerings range from portraits of the sultan executed in semiprecious stones, to gold models of oil wells and a solid silver model of Angkor Wat.

Family photos offer a good overview of the life of the sultan, who is himself depicted in myriad forms (including a hologram) from childhood through military service at Sandhurst to his lavish wedding and sporty adult life. Recent portraits show the sultan looking stern and authoritative but he's much more relaxed in person.

Also on display is the chariot used during the sultan's 1992 silver-jubilee procession, along with the regalia and weapons carried by the royal entourage, and a second chariot used for the 1968 coronation.


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