29-699: The Asian Civilisations Museum ( ACM ) is an institution which forms a part of the four museums in Singapore, the other three being the Peranakan Museum , the National Museum of Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum . It is one of the pioneering museums in the region to specialise in pan-Asian cultures and civilisations. The museum specialises in the material history of China, Southeast Asia, South Asia and West Asia, from which
58-689: A range of periods, including Chola bronzes such as a sculpture of Uma, the consort of Shiva and of Somaskanda . The early Buddhist art of India is also represented by works hailing from the Mathura and Gandhara schools, including a rare sandstone Mathura Buddha dating to the Kanishka era, and the head of a Gandharan Bodhisattva . Other areas of note include South Indian woodwork, Nepali-Tibetan bronzes, textiles, late medieval miniatures and colonial prints. The Southeast Asian collections are broad in scope and are rich in ethnological material. Representing
87-534: A rebranding exercise, the Museum launched its new logo with a new slogan Singapore's Museum of Asia . On 16 September 2014, the Museum was named the top museum in Singapore and ranked ninth in Asia by TripAdvisor ’s Travellers’ Choice awards. The Museum was the only Singapore museum ranked among Asia's top 10 museums. On 15 November 2015, the Museum unveiled its new spaces after it started its revamp in 2014. The revamp
116-631: A sunken 9th century trading ship bound for Iran and Iraq, discovered in 1998 off Belitung Island in the Java Sea. The recovered cargo comprises more than 60,000 well-preserved ceramics produced in China during the Tang dynasty (618–907), as well as objects of gold and silver. Certain gallery rooms are also used for temporary exhibitions. A recent exhibition included the display of Bronze Age masks from Sanxingdui , Sichuan Province, China. On June 25, 2021,
145-649: A wide range of books on Asian art. Peranakan Museum The Peranakan Museum is a museum and gallery in the Museum district of Singapore that specialises in the country's Peranakan culture. It is the sister museum of the Asian Civilisations Museum . Conceived in 2006, it is the only museum of its kind in the world, exploring the history of Peranakan cultures in Singapore as well as other Peranakan communities in Southeast Asia . It
174-722: Is a planning area located in the Central Area of the Central Region of Singapore . The area plays a "bridging role" between the Orchard area and the Downtown Core , which necessitates proper transport networks for vehicles, pedestrians and public transport. Due to the sheer size of green areas in the district, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has designated it a 'green lung' in
203-501: Is carried out in phases: Phase 1 was unveiled on 14 November 2015. Phase 2 was completed in April 2016, with further enhancements to follow. On 1 September 2016, Kennie Ting took over the position of director of the Museum. The Chinese collection is represented by fine Dehua porcelain figures, Taoist and Buddhistic statuary, export porcelain, calligraphy and other examples of decorative art. The South Asian Galleries feature statuary from
232-450: Is expected to be completed by 2022. The museum reopened on 17 February 2023. The different galleries are found in the following manner: Gallery 1 is titled Origins , and provides an introduction to Peranakan culture and to various Peranakan communities in Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Southeast Asia. Visitors to the subsequent rooms will learn about the story of the traditional 12-day Peranakan wedding, where significant ceremonies like
261-558: Is housed at the Old Tao Nan School building on Armenian Street, which once served as an extended wing to the artefact collection of the Asian Civilisations Museum . On 1 January 2006, the museum, then known as ACM 1 closed the Armenian Street wing for a major revamp. At its closure, the museum management chose Peranakan culture theme over a children's museum and a Chinese ceramic museum as their new showcase in
290-666: Is served by four Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations: Dhoby Ghaut , Bras Basah , Fort Canning and Bencoolen . The North–South Line and the North East Line can only be accessible from Dhoby Ghaut while the Circle Line can be accessible from both Dhoby Ghaut and Bras Basah, while the Downtown Line is accessible from Fort Canning and Bencoolen. The Central Expressway's Chin Swee Tunnel also passes under
319-881: The National Museum of Singapore , the Singapore Art Museum , the Asian Civilisations Museum , the National Archives of Singapore and the Singapore Philatelic Museum . The arts scene is vibrant in the area, with The Substation , the Singapore Calligraphy Centre , the YMS Arts Centre and the Singapore Dance Ensemble all located within its boundaries. Scattered throughout the area are places of worship such as churches, mosques, Hindu temples and synagogues. The Registry of Marriages and
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#1732772282898348-552: The Peranakan Museum , specialising in Peranakan culture. On 16 September 2006, the Museum officially launched its new logo with a new slogan The Asian Civilisations Museum – Where Asian Cultures Come Alive! . The logo shows the museum's location by the Singapore River. The reflected image highlights the Museum as a place for reflection while the orange represents activity and energy. In late 2013, after undergoing
377-534: The Singapore Art Museum / Former Saint Joseph's Institution . The area is home to significant events such as the Battle of Singapore and MacDonald House bombing . Other historical sites include: The Museum Planning Area is bordered by Rochor to the northeast, the Downtown Core to the southeast, the Singapore River Area to the southwest, River Valley to the west and Newton and Orchard to
406-536: The Central Area. However, the Museum Planning Area is also home to cultural and commercial activities. Around 65% of the area is available for future development, making it a hotbed for new infrastructure and buildings. Museum planning area is bounded by the planning areas of Newton and Rochor to the north, the Downtown Core to the southeast, Singapore River to the south, River Valley to
435-413: The Museum Planning Area could provide a peaceful environment for living. The URA replied that several plots of land had been sold for residential-commercial mixed use, and that more housing developments were to be planned and constructed. The URA emphasised the importance of the area as a transition between the central business district and shopping areas, as well as the green, pedestrian-friendly nature of
464-497: The Tao Nan School space. This enabled the museum to house the world's most distinctive and comprehensive Peranakan museum collection of artifacts and wares, with a potential annual visitorship numbers of 112,000 people. Furthermore, the revamp enabled 25 per cent more exhibition space for contextual displays for different aspects of Peranakan home and lifestyle. It also includes plans for Peranakan-themed eateries and shops in
493-471: The URA's plan for the area. The Museum Planning Area is home to various shopping malls, including Park Mall , Plaza Singapura , The Cathay , Singapore Shopping Centre and The Atrium @ Orchard . More vacant land will be set aside for commercial uses, especially around Dhoby Ghaut MRT station and Bras Basah MRT station . These will be properly integrated and connected with the respective stations. Hotels in
522-426: The area include Bayview Hotel Singapore and Hotel Rendezvous . Furthermore, a hotel development at the foot of Fort Canning Hill near the junction of Clemenceau Avenue and River Valley Road is in the planning stages, and is meant to be a retreat from urban living "amidst lush greenery". Other developments are planned on reserved sites near Fort Canning, but details have not been released. The Museum Planning Area
551-417: The area. Several changes to the road network in the area will be implemented, including the construction of Fort Canning Tunnel and the realignment of Stamford Road and Handy Road . The rationale for the improvements is increased traffic from Marina Centre and relieving the traffic congestion along Orchard Road . Furthermore, a new road network has been put in place to ensure smooth traffic flow after
580-536: The aristocratic art of ancient Southeast Asia are Khmer sculptures, Javanese temple sculpture (some on loan from Leiden), later Buddhist art from Burma / Thailand and the Sinicised temple art of Vietnam . Peranakan gold, textiles, tribal ornament and theatrical masks are other strengths of the collection. The Khoo Teck Puat Gallery is the permanent home for the cargo recovered from the Tang Shipwreck ,
609-668: The commerce, politics and social affairs of prominent Peranakans in Singapore's history in this exhibition titled Public Life. Gallery 9 on Food and Feasting , provides a grand banquet setting with the world's best collection of nonya porcelain. Finally, the visual experience concludes with an introspection of modern Peranakans and how they feel about their heritage and the future of their culture in Gallery 10 ( Conversations ). Additional Special Exhibitions Galleries also features changing specific-themed exhibitions. Museum Planning Area Jalan Besar GRC The Museum Planning Area
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#1732772282898638-571: The diverse ethnic groups of Singapore trace their ancestry. The museum first opened at the Old Tao Nan School building on 22 April 1997 at Armenian Street, with exhibits largely centred on Chinese civilisation. With the restoration of the Empress Place Building , the museum established its new flagship museum there on 2 March 2003, rapidly expanding the collection to other areas of Asia. The Armenian Street branch closed for renovations on 1 January 2006 and reopened on 25 April 2008 as
667-526: The lap chai (exchange of gifts) and chiu thau (coming of age) are presented. Visitors can also see the elaborate wedding chamber and a wedding procession taking place indoors on Level 2. Gallery 6, tilted Nonya , features the arts and crafts of Nonyas like beadwork, along with a display on the Nonya kebaya, and the womenfolks' role of transmitting cultural values to Peranakan children. Gallery 7 shows Religion , on Peranakans and their faiths. Gallery 8 illustrates
696-621: The museum launched an exhibition titled #SGFASHIONNOW. The exhibition, which is a collaboration between Lasalle College of the Arts’ School of Fashion and the Textile and Fashion Federation (TaFF), is the first by the museum to showcase contemporary Singapore fashion. The museum has a restaurant, Empress, featuring traditional Chinese dishes in a contemporary setting, and a café, Privé ACM, offering all day dining. There are ballrooms and halls available for functions. The museum shop has souvenirs and
725-425: The northwest. The area is roughly bounded by Hill Street , River Valley Road , Clemenceau Avenue and Bras Basah Road . It is the smallest urban planning area, with an area of 83 hectares. Parks and open spaces take up a third of the area of the Museum Planning Area, and include Fort Canning , Istana Park and Bras Basah Park , which can be used for recreational purposes. Collectively, these places will form
754-511: The row of four shop-houses adjacent to its building. The museum officially opened on 25 April 2008, with ten permanent galleries showcasing main themes of Peranakan life. A central feature of the museum is the Peranakan Wedding Bed which once belonged to Mrs. Quah Hong Chiam of Penang, and the very bed where she gave birth to the first seven of her 11 children. On 1 April 2019, the museum was closed for renovations works, which
783-537: The so-called 'green lung' of the Central Area. Terraces have been proposed to allow for "a more prominent and convenient access" to the Fort Canning area. The Museum Planning Area is Singapore's " institutional hub", with 11% of land set aside for institutional use and reserve sites to be safeguarded for future institutions. The many museums in the area, which give the Museum District its name, include
812-509: The sprawling Singapore Management University campus are also located in the area. Despite its prime location, residential projects were only allocated 1% of the land area, and the Museum Planning Area was criticised for lacking residential zoning. Due to the lack of residents, there were fears that the area would become a " ghost town " at night. Furthermore, the concept of living within the Central Area had gained popularity, and up-market skyscraper condominiums could be built. The greenery of
841-875: The west and Orchard to the northwest. Ten national monuments are located within the Museum Planning Area, namely the Armenian Church , the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd , Cathay Building (now The Cathay ), the Central Fire Station , the House of Tan Yeok Nee , the MacDonald House , the Old Tao Nan School ( Peranakan Museum ), the National Museum of Singapore , the Old Hill Street Police Station and
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