Stepping into the special exhibition hall at the Asian Civilisations Museum today and you might feel like you’ve stepped into a bank vault. The latest exhibition at the ACM features gold, gems and precious stone, all part of the aptly-named Treasury of the World exhibition featuring the rich collections from the Mughal empire.

Read the rest of this entry »

In the news yesterday (3 March), MP Baey Yam Keng suggested that a food musem should be set up. He felt that food makes up another component of our rich heritage – apart from our historical architecture and iconic landmarks which help create shared memories. He strongly believes that a food museum will allow citizens to bond and the variety of food here will also “highlight our links to the world”.

Hear, hear.

Singaporeans live to eat. We love our char kway teow, chicken rice, satay, laksa…and the list goes on! All too often I’ve been guilty of having nasi lemak for breakfast and prata for supper. It truly drives the work blues away! So why not a food museum? Not only will we be able to learn what makes our local delicacy so good, this  national effort to preserve its rich cultural heritage will better educate us on the history and evolution of our local cuisines.

Read the rest of this entry »

If there’s anything that has such ephemeral quality, fashion is it. Through the ages, women have been known to obsess over anything from ridiculous hats to structured shoulder pads (have you noticed, the latter is back in fashion?) and everything else that makes it to the glamorous London Fashion Week.

Comfort and simplicty were key to Chanel's wearable designs.

Last month, I finally had the chance to watch Coco avant Chanel on DVD. Starring the lovely Audrey Tatou, the film followed the legendary fashion designer Coco Channel’s journey from obscurity to fame. During the day where corsetted garments, feminine silhouettes and embellished gems were in trend, Coco Chanel went against the norm. She unleashed a line that was fuss-free and androgynous – a style Chanel eventually became famous for. She soon had a legion of followers who marvelled the simplicity of her designs. Even years after her death, the brand stays true to Chanel’s original vision and aesthetics.

Read the rest of this entry »

Earlier today, Daddy brought the boys to LTA’s LT gallery.
This gallery is a Transport museum, showcasing Singapore’s Transport
evolution from the 60s to today.

Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »

The Singapore Art Museum & SAM at 8Q exhibits contemporary art and abstract ideas siphoned and molded into paintings, photographs and architecture works. I believe the art pieces are products of the artists’ feelings and thoughts, and they are subjective to different individuals. I was certainly inspired.

It looks like a puddle of water with some pebbles laying around

Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone knows of Little Nonya TV series on MediaCorp that became such a hit – they produced their own DVDs! My family watched the drama series religiously but I was too busy back then for a sit-down. Even so, Iwould sometimes stop for a moment on my way to the kitchen to admire the Peranakan food and style.  So it was only natural that I made my way down to the Peranakan Museum (TPM) to satiate my curiosity for their fascinating culture. Entering  TPM was akin to being IN the movie; it was the exact setting, only better – I had the chance to see the various Peranakan outfits and their beautiful furniture up close.

Read the rest of this entry »

For a person who didn’t know what the local museums had to offer, visiting five within the span of two days was surely jaw gapping.  To be placed in front of history, culture and art pieces was not only calming for a fast-paced society, but also inspiring.

To be beautiful on the outside, you have to start from within. The National Museum of Singapore, white and mighty, has its content to boost too. With five galleries to go to, one cannot remain ignorant on the development and achievement of Singapore upon exiting the museum. The Singapore Living Galleries are individualised into Food, Fashion, Photography and Film and Wayang, while there is the Singapore History Gallery, which is a more entertaining walkthrough gallery of our Social Studies textbook. I particularly enjoyed the Fashion and Food galleries because I feel that they got it right back then- how our grandparents and parents went about doing food and clothes.

Read the rest of this entry »

Win a pair of tickets to the Quest for Immortality – The World of Ancient Egypt exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore! Two pairs of tickets to be won! Each pair is worth $30!

All you have to do is to tell us in 25 words or less, why you love the National Museum of Singapore. Post your answers on our I Love Museums Facebook wall and stand a chance to win!

This contest closes on the 24 Feb 2010!

Winners will be notified via Facebook.

Have you seen the lines snaking out of the National Museum recently of people waiting to see the latest exhibition, Quest for Immortality? It took me an hour’s wait to get through the free entry queue on New Year’s Day (entry on regular days is $15 a head) and it was, for some, the first and only time to get up close with Egyptian artefacts only once seen, and dreamed of, in movies.

Tan Wee Cheng posts on his blog just a small number of the exhibits to be found at the exhibition, but they give you an idea of the breadth and range of the artefacts on display: stone steles, sarcophagi, ancient scrolls and mummies! Check it out here.