Visiting the Asian civilisation Museum is an exciting and educational trip, something that everyone who steps into Singapore should do!
Travelling by public transport, we took the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) to Raffles Place, which is an interchange station between the North-South line (red line) and the East-West line (green line). This station is a very convenient meeting place as it is the central location for the MRT system that links to the whole Singapore Island. Above the MRT is Raffles Xchange, where there are a number of shops and food stations. Here you can grab some yummy snacks or breakfast-to-go for just like we did! The signboards in the station and Raffles Xchange give clear directions towards the Asian Civilisation Museum, pointing us to Exit H, Six Battery Road.
At first sight of daylight, it is easy to find yourself lost among the tall buildings, but fear not! We managed to spot the museum from a distance on the other side of the river bank. To get to the orange-beige colonial style building, we have to walk across the whitewashed Cavenagh Bridge. Before the bridge, sculptures of the river merchants can be found as well as an insight to the past of the Singapore River and the Maybank Tower. Also, there are cat sculptures by the edge of the platform nearby which is easily missed if you aren’t too careful.
Outside the museum are many interesting art pieces that are attention catching, including a carved ceremonial pole. You may also see rickshaw uncles chit-chatting and an ice cream stop that may just be helpful on those really hot days. However, do be reminded that food and drinks are not allowed in the museum!
Before you can view the galleries, you must purchase a ticket from the ticketing counter where you can also find brochures and information about the museum. There would also be an orange sticker that you have to stick on your clothes for identification purposes when touring around the museum.
With 8 galleries full of history and artefacts, the Asian Civilisation museum is well-planned as the spacious aisles naturally walk its visitors from gallery to gallery with an unending flow in spite of the heavy doors separating them. Each gallery has a theme: Singapore River, Introductory, Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia (Mary & Philbert Chin), West Asia/ Islamic, China (Kwek Hong Pang), South Asia. Historical information about the displays in each gallery can be found beside them as well as the interactive touch screen monitors that enable you to learn more in greater detail. In certain parts of the galleries, special monitors require you to insert your visitor ticket into the slot before you can view videos that usually have a culturally experienced person explaining or telling captivating stories, and even singing folk songs. As for the doors, do make use of the handicap button that automatically opens the doors for you or else you might end up grumbling like us every time we had to pull open the doors.
Taking a relatively long time of 3 ½ hours, touring the museum is time consuming but remarkably remains appealing with no trace of boredom. If all the galleries in the 3-storey building cannot be covered due to time constraints, we recommend the China Gallery where you’d be able to learn about the main religions in China and find out the common threads that bind all the individual regions in China together. Another unique aspect of this gallery is the area that represents a typical Chinese tea house, "cha guan" in which they have large metal flasks of different types of tea leaves that are used to make different teas, for you to sample the various aromas. Costumes and headdresses used in performances are also found here in which we can try them on and take photographs hence adding extra fun into the trip.
The South Asia Galleries would greatly fascinate those who have an interest in religions of the world such as Hinduism and Buddhism. The elaborate stories and the many articles and ornaments intrigue one’s senses, bringing people back to when the religion first began. However, if you are not comfortable with the religions, we would advise you not to go into the individual sections of the gallery where the dark atmosphere and chanting played over the speakers may cause discomfort.
Lastly, the Singapore River gallery is a very important stop to make as the history and evolution of Singapore from the past into what it is today can be seen here. Learn the significance of the Singapore River as early as in the 14th century while imagining the way of life back in those days. The items on display were very well maintained and portray the past very well.
On a whole, the Asian Civilisation Museum is a must-go museum in Singapore especially for those who have particular interests in culture, experience a complete tour through the history of culture, making it come alive. Don’t forget to visit the museum shop that sells all sorts of things such as playing cards, postcards, books, miniature “antiques”, massage oils, etc. Although the prices of the items there are high, the unique items available would tempt you to buy them.
To end the day, you may want to chill out at the food and beverage places at the museum or head down to the restaurants along the river banks. Also a good place for authentic food that are deemed Singaporeans’ favourites is the Lao Pa Sat which is a hawker centre within walking distance of the museum. Be sure to try the satay and BBQ seafood sold there! The good food would be the icing of the cake after the day’s cultural amazement!
Little things to take note of: · If you plan to visit the museum on weekdays, try to plan your time around the peak hours on weekdays (7 – 9.30 AM; 5 – 8 PM) to avoid the crowd as Raffles Place is the central business district of Singapore where a large proportion of the office workers travel by MRT.
· Squint your eyes to spot the orange-beige building that’s very likely to be hidden behind trees across the river when you first exit the MRT station.
· The lights in a number of galleries are very dim; if you are afraid of the dark, bring a friend along!
· The faint-hearted may be frightened by the Chinese Wa Yang masks and sculptures so you might consider not viewing that part of the gallery.
· Individual admission for an adult is $5; concession (full-time students and age 60 years and above) $2.50. As for group admissions of 20 people and above, adults need only to pay $4 and concession $2. Children who are 6years and below will have free admission into the museum.
· Guided tours are available in English, Mandarin and Japanese. The time slots for the English guided tour is 2pm on Mondays; 11am and 2pm on Tuesdays till Fridays and 11am, 2pm,3pm and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays
· Opening hours of the Museum is Monday: 1pm – 7pm; Tuesday to Sunday: 9am – 7pm.
· For more information, do check out the Asian Civilisation Museum’s website: http://www.acm.org.sg/
I feel that the trip to the Asian Civillisation Museum was a very memorable and enjoyable experience. The museum was a wonderful eye-opener to learn more about the history of Singapore. There are a wide variety of effects created which will capture your attention throughout your tour into the museum. For example, there is an overhead projection that shows videos on the history of Singapore. The videos are projected either on the ground or on the uniquely positioned screens in the dark room. The dim lights also create a mystic and rustic enviroment. -Wei Minh
Visiting the Asian civilisation Museum is an exciting and educational trip, something that everyone who steps into Singapore should do!
Travelling by public transport, we took the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) to Raffles Place, which is an interchange station between the North-South line (red line) and the East-West line (green line). This station is a very convenient meeting place as it is the central location for the MRT system that links to the whole Singapore Island. Above the MRT is Raffles Xchange, where there are a number of shops and food stations. Here you can grab some yummy snacks or breakfast-to-go for just like we did! The signboards in the station and Raffles Xchange give clear directions towards the Asian Civilisation Museum, pointing us to Exit H, Six Battery Road.
At first sight of daylight, it is easy to find yourself lost among the tall buildings, but fear not! We managed to spot the museum from a distance on the other side of the river bank. To get to the orange-beige colonial style building, we have to walk across the whitewashed Cavenagh Bridge. Before the bridge, sculptures of the river merchants can be found as well as an insight to the past of the Singapore River and the Maybank Tower. Also, there are cat sculptures by the edge of the platform nearby which is easily missed if you aren’t too careful.
Outside the museum are many interesting art pieces that are attention catching, including a carved ceremonial pole. You may also see rickshaw uncles chit-chatting and an ice cream stop that may just be helpful on those really hot days. However, do be reminded that food and drinks are not allowed in the museum!
Before you can view the galleries, you must purchase a ticket from the ticketing counter where you can also find brochures and information about the museum. There would also be an orange sticker that you have to stick on your clothes for identification purposes when touring around the museum.
With 8 galleries full of history and artefacts, the Asian Civilisation museum is well-planned as the spacious aisles naturally walk its visitors from gallery to gallery with an unending flow in spite of the heavy doors separating them. Each gallery has a theme: Singapore River, Introductory, Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia (Mary & Philbert Chin), West Asia/ Islamic, China (Kwek Hong Pang), South Asia. Historical information about the displays in each gallery can be found beside them as well as the interactive touch screen monitors that enable you to learn more in greater detail. In certain parts of the galleries, special monitors require you to insert your visitor ticket into the slot before you can view videos that usually have a culturally experienced person explaining or telling captivating stories, and even singing folk songs. As for the doors, do make use of the handicap button that automatically opens the doors for you or else you might end up grumbling like us every time we had to pull open the doors.
Taking a relatively long time of 3 ½ hours, touring the museum is time consuming but remarkably remains appealing with no trace of boredom. If all the galleries in the 3-storey building cannot be covered due to time constraints, we recommend the China Gallery where you’d be able to learn about the main religions in China and find out the common threads that bind all the individual regions in China together. Another unique aspect of this gallery is the area that represents a typical Chinese tea house, "cha guan" in which they have large metal flasks of different types of tea leaves that are used to make different teas, for you to sample the various aromas. Costumes and headdresses used in performances are also found here in which we can try them on and take photographs hence adding extra fun into the trip.
The South Asia Galleries would greatly fascinate those who have an interest in religions of the world such as Hinduism and Buddhism. The elaborate stories and the many articles and ornaments intrigue one’s senses, bringing people back to when the religion first began. However, if you are not comfortable with the religions, we would advise you not to go into the individual sections of the gallery where the dark atmosphere and chanting played over the speakers may cause discomfort.
Lastly, the Singapore River gallery is a very important stop to make as the history and evolution of Singapore from the past into what it is today can be seen here. Learn the significance of the Singapore River as early as in the 14th century while imagining the way of life back in those days. The items on display were very well maintained and portray the past very well.
On a whole, the Asian Civilisation Museum is a must-go museum in Singapore especially for those who have particular interests in culture, experience a complete tour through the history of culture, making it come alive. Don’t forget to visit the museum shop that sells all sorts of things such as playing cards, postcards, books, miniature “antiques”, massage oils, etc. Although the prices of the items there are high, the unique items available would tempt you to buy them.
To end the day, you may want to chill out at the food and beverage places at the museum or head down to the restaurants along the river banks. Also a good place for authentic food that are deemed Singaporeans’ favourites is the Lao Pa Sat which is a hawker centre within walking distance of the museum. Be sure to try the satay and BBQ seafood sold there! The good food would be the icing of the cake after the day’s cultural amazement!
Little things to take note of: · If you plan to visit the museum on weekdays, try to plan your time around the peak hours on weekdays (7 – 9.30 AM; 5 – 8 PM) to avoid the crowd as Raffles Place is the central business district of Singapore where a large proportion of the office workers travel by MRT.
· Squint your eyes to spot the orange-beige building that’s very likely to be hidden behind trees across the river when you first exit the MRT station.
· The lights in a number of galleries are very dim; if you are afraid of the dark, bring a friend along!
· The faint-hearted may be frightened by the Chinese Wa Yang masks and sculptures so you might consider not viewing that part of the gallery.
· Individual admission for an adult is $5; concession (full-time students and age 60 years and above) $2.50. As for group admissions of 20 people and above, adults need only to pay $4 and concession $2. Children who are 6years and below will have free admission into the museum.
· Guided tours are available in English, Mandarin and Japanese. The time slots for the English guided tour is 2pm on Mondays; 11am and 2pm on Tuesdays till Fridays and 11am, 2pm,3pm and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays
· Opening hours of the Museum is Monday: 1pm – 7pm; Tuesday to Sunday: 9am – 7pm.
· For more information, do check out the Asian Civilisation Museum’s website: http://www.acm.org.sg/
I feel that the trip to the Asian Civillisation Museum was a very memorable and enjoyable experience. The museum was a wonderful eye-opener to learn more about the history of Singapore. There are a wide variety of effects created which will capture your attention throughout your tour into the museum. For example, there is an overhead projection that shows videos on the history of Singapore. The videos are projected either on the ground or on the uniquely positioned screens in the dark room. The dim lights also create a mystic and rustic enviroment. -Wei Minh
CHINATOWN HERITAGE CENTRE This was a fascinating museum. More than simply galleries of objects on display, this museum recreates what life was like for Chinese inhabitants of Singapore at the turn of the century. I learned more here about the real history of Singapore than anywhere else. It was one of the most worthwhile things to do in the country. It is very easy to find in Chinatown, affordable, and takes only 45 mins to an hour to visit the entire museum.
- kellyfromcanada, Canada
CHINATOWN China town's a cool place to walk along if you are free. The structure of the buildings is incredibly astonishing... Not to mention the food centre is really good and serves varieties of food... You guys must give the claypot a try. Can’t exactly remember which one, there are around 3 or so there, but all are really good. Also, not to mention, there are stalls that sells really cheap CDs jumping off from $6. Originals!
- Giselle, New York
The colorfully painted shophouses and covered sidewalks (called 5-foot ways) are lovely, and you can catch glimpses of the men's social groups and kitchens behind the scenes. Also, don't miss going into a Chinese herbalist shop or two - they're astounding. I was there the weekend after Chinese New Year's, and it was really quiet. If you are in Singapore mid-Jan, though, leading up to New Year's, it's incredibly lively and mad with people.
- Laetitia, France
ASIAN CIVILISATION MUSEUM I especially loved the stuff on the history of Singapore. Fascinating conglomeration of cultures there. There are tidbits of many different asian cultures here - not a whole lot of depth in any one of them. But the interpretive material is engaging and some of the artifacts are jaw-dropping. This was the only museum I went to while I was in Singapore, and it was definitely worth it.
- A TripAdvisor Member
I found this place without much problem as it’s located near the Raffles Place MRT. The exhibits were interesting as I found that some of the cultures have stronger influences than the rest. There are well-placed self-help guides and detailed information for each exhibit. Walking around is a breeze and there are benches available for those who are tired.
I like the fact that the place is wheelchair friendly. However, some of the exhibits for interaction aren’t that friendly for wheelchairs which is a pity.You can even place your bags in the lockers provided so you can roam around with less things to carry.
- Wishbone, England
ARAB STREET
Arab Street is a street not to be missed in Kampong Glam. The shopkeepers of Molkan Fabrics (72 Arab Street) are friendly and helpful. Also worth getting on Arab Street are the rattan knick-knacks - baskets, hand-bags
- Saleh, Malaysia
● he-artsculturesg.blogspot.com ●
About Singapore
Being the smallest nation in the Southeast Asia, Singapore is an acclaimed tourist hub of the world. She provides an extensive and vast array of options for sightseeing. Rich ethnic and religious diversity of this place ensures that wide range of places and activities are available to cater to the tourists visiting Singapore.
The population of Singapore comprises mostly of Chinese, followed by Malay and Indians. Four official languages that are widely spoken are Chinese, Malay, Tamil and English.
What is so unique about Singapore? (Read on to find out what others think.)
Top row (from left to right): Yiping, Huimin, Sindy, Weiminh
Bottom row (from left to right): Weiling, Grace
Behind the scenes: We're your dedicated bloggers bringing your way an enriching and fun-filled arts, heritage and cultural journey! Currently Year 1 students from the Diploma in Hospitality & Tourism Management in Temasek Polytechnic.
