Comedian Phil wang owes his life to a museum – literally

If it wasn’t for the Sabah Museum in Malaysia, comedian Phil Wang would not exist. We would never have seen his outstanding contribution to Taskmaster or his role in Wonka.  

The 35-year-old funnyman was one of the judges of the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year award last month – visiting the five shortlisted museums across the UK. 

But although he describes himself as the “everyman, non-expert, Joe Schmo” judge, his connection to museums goes deep.  

“As a kid, I went to the Sabah Museum a lot, because it’s the museum my mother volunteered at when she left the UK in the 80s to volunteer in Borneo,” says Wang.  

“And that’s when she met my father. So if it weren’t for the Sabah Museum, and if it weren’t for museums, I wouldn’t be alive. I literally owe museums my life. Maybe that goes some way to explaining my love of them. 

“I was obsessed as a kid. I made my Uncle Bobby drive us there every Friday. There were traditional long houses, native artefacts, animal skeletons – history, natural history and a lot of cultural history. I loved it.” 

Wang recently went on a magical history tour around the UK visiting each of the five finalists of the Art Fund Museum of the Year award.  

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“I jumped at the opportunity,” he says. “Because I go to museums and galleries all the time anyway. So to be forced to go to some of the best was a dream come true. All the judges would turn up at the same time like some terrifying council or the Nazgûl in The Lord of the Rings. 

“Beamish [open air museum and overall winner] is essentially a living, breathing, tiny country in a valley in County Durham – with areas from the 1900s, 1930s, 1950s, everyone – including the management – in period costumes, and period buses and trams to take you around. There was a suffragette rally walking down the street when we were there – and they got kids to play both sides of the debate, which was surreal but entertaining and so well done.  

“Chapter is such a brilliant local resource in Cardiff – with art, performance, cinema spaces as well as a food bank and free lunches for kids who turn up. It’s a vibrant space – the real cultural beating heart of the city. 

“What comes through in the shortlist is the sheer variety of institutions. Compton Verney in Warwickshire is a stately home that was derelict and abandoned as recently as the 1970s, but is now a gallery with art inside and sculptures outside – and a landscape designed by Capability Brown. We need to name more of our kids after virtues again.  

“Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast, which has just moved to a beautiful new, welcoming space in the centre of the city, has an incredible craft hub and free classes plus free exhibitions and two spaces to exhibit Northern Irish talent. 

“And Perth is a beautiful, airy, new, modern museum that only opened last year and houses the Stone of Scone, otherwise known as the Stone of Destiny – which has to be brought down from Scotland for every coronation and placed under the coronation chair, representing the Kingdom of Scotland. There are projected films and scenery, it’s a really immersive experience.” 

The experience left Wang hungry for more museum visits – and impressed with the sheer range of experiences on offer.  

“It was amazing to see how much talent and commitment there is in the museum sector, which is still dealing with the fallout from Covid, when visitor numbers collapsed,” he says.  

“The thing I feel about the UK is it is at once a very big country and a very small country. In a way, this made me feel like the UK was big – there are so many different stories, communities, artefacts and histories on display. 

“And the UK is already ahead of most developed nations because museums tend to be free as standard. And that is such a blessing. It is also putting a lot of effort into making these spaces accessible.  

“But a running theme for all the institutions was that they need more funding. Culture always needs more funding. Art always needs more funding. Because it is always the first thing to be cut when times are rough and governments have to save money.  

“The arts suffer first. So it’s about government funding – but also up to us as consumers of art and museums, and as Brits, to visit these places. Seeing art live is so important. You can look at a picture or a sculpture but there’s something about seeing the bumps of the paint that you just can’t replicate. It is like seeing a band live.”  

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