The National Museum of Singapore; An Ageless Artefact In Itself by Awe Wan Li

The National Museum of Singapore

Set amid the lush greenery of Fort Canning Park is the stately National Museum of Singapore, the prime historic symbol of the Nation’s rich culture, and no wonder! The iconic artefact itself is magnificent, embodied by the subtle melding of sleek glass extensions with the stately neo-Palladian building.

The wide, sunlit lobby

Fusion of tradition and modernism, a classic architectural icon; The Concourse

I was welcomed into the lobby (in the extension wing), bounded by crystal-clear, expansive glass windows, by its zen-like ambience. Set strikingly against the cutting-edge architecture of the lobby, the intricate Renaissance style of The Concourse, with its white shuttered windows, was a surprisingly fresh reminder of the museum’s colonial past.

The beautiful Glass Passage

Stained glass panels in the Rotunda Dome in the afternoon sunlight

The Glass Passage (extending from the lobby), which bridges the old and new buildings, is an impressive glass structure, through which I was offered an unparalleled view of the historic Dome, beautifully adorned with stained glass panels and fish scaled tiles. Especially when observed during the day, the coloured beams of tainted sunlight streaming through the glass panels was a pleasing complement to the modernism of the Passage, and brought me back for brief, nostalgic moments to British colonial Singapore.

Tiffin carriers used to store Laksa ingredients

Cast iron wok, charcoal stove and opeh (palm) leaf plates at the Char Kway Teow display

Its several cultural exhibits introduce tourists and locals alike to the dynamic lifestyle cultures of Singapore. In particular, the colourful Food exhibit was extremely gratifying, its casually simplistic design offering a bright assortment of artefacts to marvel at. Highlights included the life stories of classic street food like Char Kway Teow and Laksa, accompanied by authentic audio accounts of the daily lives of hawkers, and video clips of a typical hawker’s day spent bustling in the stall. A lighthearted new way to incorporate modern design into the display of traditional artefacts with the use of contemporary lighting, this exhibit was a simply deliciously refreshing experience!

Elaborately tailored Chinese opera costumes

Chinese puppet stage decorated with scenes from Journey to the West

Next, I ventured into the Film and Wayang exhibit. Muted lights and the distinct tunes of lilting Malay-Indian songs created a movie-like ambience, easily easing one into the exhibit, which was in turn enhanced by tastefully selected excerpts from uniquely Singaporean films playing on vast canvases. The vivid contrast of the Wayang aspect brought the breathtaking experience full circle, with its arresting display of bright, shiny wonders of the costumes used in Chinese opera and theatre. It also offered new insights into Chinese opera through Chinese puppetry, a prime aspect of entertainment in the olden days of Singapore.

The highlight of the whole museum visit was, however, the Rickshaw display in the classic Singapore History Gallery. The Gallery, lit by gently glowing lights, proved a fine finish to the whole museum visit.

A rickshaw; used in olden-day transport for Europeans and locals alike

In its humble beginnings, many immigrant Chinese to the young British colony laboured as rickshaw pullers, earning their bread and butter by transporting Europeans and locals alike to and fro in this simple two-wheeled device. Serving as a primary source of transportation in the past, the rickshaw was once rampant in the streets of Singapore, and symbolic of the British colony’s identity as a vibrant port. The genuine article on display showcases a distinctive Singaporean character in its well-maintained veneer, and is adorned with an authentic checkered American cloth used in the seat and a plain white canvas pulled up over the top. It has since evolved into a key component of tourism attractions in the modern, globalized city of Singapore, and symbolizes the astounding transformations Singapore has undergone since the olden times.

The National Museum of Singapore, the epitome of the nation’s history, completely redefines museum experiences in a whole new way by elegantly fusing old and new together in a tantalizing display of architecture and exhibits. It truly was an unforgettable and immensely gratifying experience!

Awe Wan Li (3), 310