The Belait District Museum is the most worthwhile cultural stop in Kuala Belait, a compact collection focused on the history and culture of the Belait district — which means, inevitably, a lot of oil history alongside the traditional Malay, Iban, and Chinese heritage of the region.
The exhibits cover the traditional ways of life along the Belait River before the oil era, including fishing, boat-building, and the sago palm industry that once sustained the local economy. The oil section documents the transformation that followed Shell's arrival in the early 20th century. The museum is small and manageable in under an hour; it is free to enter and well-maintained.