This Open Call is ongoing till 9 October 2026.
Submission Details
In conjunction with our SG60 commemorative exhibition Once Upon a Tide: Singapore's Journey from Settlement to Global City, this edition of our Collecting Contemporary Singapore public call focuses on 'Wave Makers'. The exhibition showcases items donated to the National Collection through previous open calls, paying tribute to Singaporean 'Wave Makers' who have made their mark internationally with their contributions in areas such as the arts, culture and sports.
Are you a Wave Maker, or do you know a Wave Maker whose story deserves to be shared? We invite you to contribute your objects – and their stories – to help us further expand our collection, and thus tell more diverse stories of Singaporeans who have made us proud on the global stage.
This could include:
- Awards (e.g. trophies, medals, certificates) presented to the individual
- Personal items (e.g. clothing, equipment, souvenirs) that tell the story of the individual's contributions
- Photographs that show the individual in action, representing Singapore on the international stage
From left to right:
- Gold medal won by Remy Ong at the 2006 WTBA World Tenpin Bowling Championships. 2006. Metal and nylon. Gift of Remy Ong.
- Shanti Pereira’s autographed Nike Air Zoom Maxfly shoes. 2023. Synthetic materials, foam, carbon fibre, rubber. Gift of Shanti Pereira.
- Choo Hoey conducting an orchestra at the Radio and Television Building in Brussels. 1950s–1960s. Gelatin silver print. Gift of Choo Hoey
Submission details coming soon
Please note that unsolicited donations sent through the mail or otherwise without prior correspondence with our curators will not be accepted.
For further queries, please contact the museum’s Curatorial team at NHB_NMS_Curatorial@nhb.gov.sg.
About Collecting Contemporary Singapore
The National Museum is expanding our public engagement efforts to crowdsource objects and related stories/photos from residents in Singapore, so as to broaden our contemporary collection. We will be focusing on different themes each year to encourage Singaporeans to contribute to this project and reflect upon life in Singapore in recent times.
These contributions may reveal different perspectives of contemporary Singapore that will shape and inform the curation of the museum’s future exhibitions. Selected objects may also be featured in relevant exhibitions presented by the National Museum.
If you have other objects that you are keen to contribute to the National Museum of Singapore but which do not fit the ongoing theme(s) of our current open call(s), please email your story and photos of the object to NHB_NMS_Curatorial@nhb.gov.sg for our curators’ assessment.