Singapore National Museum

We went to National Museum on Christmas day.
On NHB (National Heritage Board)website, it is a 5min walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT.

NHB assumed we will navigate out of the massive DG MRT station easily :P
And to make things worse, Daddy walk the kids toward Singapore Arts Museum, instead of National Museum (ooops, these two buildings look quite alike)

Free entrance to all NHB (National Heritage Board) premises on public holidays.

Interior of Museum looks very modern and Grand.

We start our journey with History Gallery. Daddy opt not to bring the companion-set, as he suspect we will not have time for all details :p

** every display item or segments will have numbers displayed on the floor, or next to artifact. Visitors are supposed to punch in the "code", then the companion-set will provide information.

Video : the famous swinging chandeliers


Building has a lot of glass, even ceiling is see-through to let natural sunlight shines into Museum premise. We can imagine Raindrops would be a spectacle.

Displays..we do not need to understand all of them (for now)

Sir Stamford Raffles, Pri school kids should know?

Video : hightech multimedia slideshows..tinker your mind

Got a coffin, and Bell. This section covers traditional beliefs of the Locals
(be it Chinese. Muslims or Indians) . The coffin can look spooky if you are the only one in the hall!! (imagine the chantings, eeek!!) We hate to look in it's direction, as Daddy considers it inauspicious :p

Early immigrants from China started their own ethnic/dialect networks as a form of community self-help, but some degenerate to triads/gangsters.
Most coolies got addicted to opium to relive their hardships, ironically they become poorer and health deteriorated.

Portraits and albums line the halls.. example :
- Samsui women - Red Hat aunties at worksites
- MaJie - housemaids, with pigtails

Those born before 70s might remember one Black/White TV box for whole village. Everybody will crowd at basketball court to see their favourite dramas or news.
**we remembered there was a time when Singapore need water-rationing

Chic resting corner

We were once under GreatBritain colonial rule

Singapore was once unstable :
- strikes and riots
- communists turbulance


Japanese Occupation during WW2. Singapore was once called Syonan-To (light of the South).
War is cruel.

Some early campaigns, example :
- keep waterway clean
- everybody moving to HDB (from Kampungs)

Developing Singapore...

Video : Past national day Parades


Our Flag and National Anthem "Majulah Singapura".

Museum Open house also include diy doll making session for both kids and parents to participate. Just add "creativity".

On the way back to MRT station, the boys are visibly tired.

We spend so much time in Singapore History Gallery...we skip the other exhibitions, example :
- Philippines Fiesta
- Landscape(19th century)
- Quest for Immortality

Ooops. no flash, no Video. How to get material for blog?
And Daddy's camera did not get any good pics of active Yi, as the pics were blur under low lighting..

Daddy :
The Museum was packed right from 1000 opening. A lot parents had also brought their kiddos to infuse some Histories. Singapore is still a very young nation, but our diversity, and cultural-pot fusion, is one of a kind in the world..