Tucked in heart of Bandar Seri Begawan, the Royal Regalia Exhibition Hall is more than just a museum, it’s a monument to Brunei’s gilded self-image. But its story begins with an unlikely figure, Sir Winston Churchill. When the original structure opened in 1971, it honoured the British wartime leader, admired deeply by then-Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien, who saw in Churchill a model of statesmanship and resilience.

Constructed in 1992 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the current Sultan’s accession to the throne, the glittering and lavish Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque stands as one of the grandest Islamic monuments in South East Asia and is Brunei’s largest place of worship.