Friday, 3 May 2024, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM SGT

This talk looks at the impact of Chinese blue-and-white ceramics by tracing its history and production in China and its global distribution.

20 April 2024, 3-4 pm

Renowned textile collector Chris Hall discusses his approach to collecting and his work with cultural institutions around the world.

31 Mar 2024, 11am to 3pm

Join us this month as we explore objects with meaningful stories

Mar 9–10, 2024, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM SGT

Join us for a two-day conference that examines the significance of the Manila galleon trade, which connected Asia to the Americas and Europe for centuries.

2–3 March 2024, 4 to 9pm

Explore the bold and beautiful art and cultural contributions by women! Discover traditional practices of the past and meet today’s inspiring practitioners in various creative industries.

Thurs Mar 28 2024, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM SGT

The Minangkabau from the highlands of West Sumatra form the world’s largest matrilineal society. Family property, land, and heirlooms pass down from mothers to daughters. A Minangkabau headdress in Singapore’s National Collection epitomises the community’s identity, and features a combination of local and imported materials that sheds light on the complex cultural and commercial interactions of the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Hidden from view, an adhesive was used to line two imported cloths to the underside the headdress. In this talk, a conservator, curator, and conservation scientist will present an integrated analysis of the headdress. They will reveal how gold, natural resin, machine-printed cottons from Europe, and brocades of Indian or possibly European origin were integral to the production of Minangkabau material culture.