Sandakan to boost historical tourism with US couple gallery

Borneo Post

15-06-2025

The Agnes Keith House
SANDAKAN (June 15): Historical tourism will gain momentum in Sandakan once the Martin & Osa Johnson Gallery has been set up at the vacant PWD 2002 Building in the vicinity of the famous Agnes Keith House here, says Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Christina Liew.
She said the development of this facility will not only provide visitors with the opportunity to learn about the American couple's exploration history in North Borneo (now Sabah) but will also complement the existing tourism offering in the area, the Agnes Keith House, which receives about 21,000 visitors yearly.
Agnes, an American author, lived in the House with her husband Harry Keith who was the North Borneo Conservator of Forests based in Sandakan.
'The Agnes Keith House is now conserved by the Sabah Museum Department (an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment – KePKAS).
'Both the Johnsons Gallery and Agnes Keith House, among other historical buildings in Sandakan, are a cornerstone of historical tourism in this east coast town.
'The gallery as a tribute to the Johnsons will attract more Americans to visit Sandakan if this 'must-see' tourist destination is included in tour packages offered by tour operators. The couple's 1920 silent movie 'Jungle Adventure' featuring the native people and wildlife in Kinabatangan became the world's first wildlife documentary,' Liew said in a statement on Sunday.
Agnes Keith House and the St Michael and All Angels' Church are located along the Sandakan Heritage Trail.
Quoting statistics from the Sabah Museum Department (an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment), the minister said a total of 64,849 foreign and local visitors toured the Agnes Keith House between 2022 and 2024.
'And the period from January to April this year recorded some 7,976 visitors (1,529 foreign visitors and 6,447 locals).'
According to Liew, the House was opened to the public as a historical tourism product in 2004. Since then, thousands from more than 50 countries were drawn to this heritage building which houses a museum, documenting the story of the House and the American author who gave Sabah the famous nickname 'Land Below The Wind' through her award-winning book of the same name.
Former Curator of the Sabah Museum Stella Moo (now retired), when contacted, confirmed that she, together with the Chief Editor of Daily Express Datuk James Sarda, had received a set of more than 2,000 photographs (taken by Martin and Osa Johnson in the 1920s and 1930s) from the Chief Curator of the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum in Kansas, USA, Jacquelyn Borgeson in 2004 during the latter's visit to Sabah.
'That year (2004), Jacquelyn brought the Johnsons' photos for the Sabah Museum. She was also working on the exhibition area to be dedicated to Martin and Osa in the proposed Sandakan Heritage Museum,' recalled Moo.