National Museum of Singapore

Original Building

Building, 1887

The front block of the museum building dates back to 1887. It features an elegant neo-Palladian design, a European style of architecture characterised by a highly symmetrical façade and the use of pediments above windows.

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Park, Illustration
Park, Illustration

The More We Get Together: Singapore's Playgrounds 1930 – 2030 Programmes

12 May 2018 - 30 Sep 2018
Various Venues
Various Timings
Varies with Programmes
There's something for everyone in this exciting line-up of programmes! Mark the dates in your calendar and join us with your family and friends

 

chapter zero

Risk, Resilience and Responsibility: A Play Workshop for Parents [CANCELLED]
29 Sept | 10.30am (90min) | Seminar Room, Level 2 | $30 per parent

Children have a biological, psychological and social need to play! Through being empowered to move and play freely, children develop resilience, responsibility and problem-solving skills. Over-scheduling and over-protecting may impede our children's natural development of self-motivation, confidence and creativity. This workshop will include discussions on child-directed play and how parents and educators can foster children's resilience and ability to assess risk in order to play responsibly.

This workshop is presented by the National Museum of Singapore in collaboration with Chapter Zero Singapore. Register here: https://chapterzerosg-3rs-01.peatix.com/

Matali,

The Dynamic Lines of Our Nest by Matali Crasset (FR)
Daily, 20 Apr to 30 Sept | 10am to 6pm | Rotunda, Level 1

This art installation by French artist Matali Crasset pays tribute to the awakening of our curiosity. By twisting the central pole, the installation is transformed into a colourful mobile for toddlers in a central playpen below. Families are invited to “nest” and recline in a shared space around the playpen. Inspired by natural greenery, the installation posits a future play space where the natural and manmade meet.

To learn more about Singapore’s playgrounds and their relationship to ideas about nature as well as to our past and future, visit the exhibition The More We Get Together: Singapore’s Playgrounds 1930 – 2030.
Parental supervision is required at all times. All footwear (except socks) is to be removed before entering the installation.

About the Artist
Matali Crasset is a French artist with a background in industrial design. Her work begins with observations of everyday practices, which she eventually tweaks, challenges and improves through the spaces and objects she creates.

www.matalicrasset.com

Mobile, Craft

Craft Activity: Make your own Mobile
29 Sept | 10.30am to 4.30pm | Rotunda, Level 1 | Free

 

Sit beside The Dynamic Lines of Our Nest and admire how its undulating lines resemble a giant cot mobile. Then, use our ribbons and other craft materials, and create a mobile of your own! You can derive inspiration from our installation, or simply let your creativity take flight!

 

No registration required. While stocks last. Last admission at 4pm.

Bouncy, castles,

Bouncy Adventures
29 & 30 Sept, Sat & Sun | 10am to 12pm, 2.30pm to 6pm | The Front Lawn | Free

Embark on a bouncy adventure at the National Museum with interactive inflatable playgrounds inspired by iconic mosaic playground of yesteryear! You can also go on an "animal hunt" with our animal springers for more bouncy fun.

Parental supervision is required at all times. All footwear (except socks) is to be removed before entering the inflatables. Please note that play under wet or hot weather conditions is not advised.

Timmy, Tammy
Timmy and Tammy at the Dragon Playground – Storytelling Session by Esther Eio
Sunday, 30 Sept 2018 | 2pm & 3pm ( 30 min per session) | Stamford Gallery, Level 1

The iconic dragon playground was built in 1979 and remains a favourite with Singaporeans today. He watches all that goes on and loves it when children come to play with him and make new friends. Come and listen to the story of Singapore's favourite dragon playground - the guardian of friendships!

This programme is brought to you in collaboration with Armour Publishing. Limited to 15 pairs of parent and child on a first come, first served basis. On-site registration starts from 1.30pm at the Rotunda, Level 1.

 

Playground, Illustration, dragon
For Schools: Educational Resources for Primary Social Studies and Secondary Geography
20 Apr to 30 Sept 

Guide your students through the museum’s exhibition The More We Get Together: Singapore’s Playgrounds 1930 – 2030 with dedicated educational resources, specially designed to support Lower Primary Social Studies and Lower Secondary Geography learning outcomes. Book a self-guided learning journey to the exhibition by emailing us at NHB_NM_Schools@nhb.gov.sg.

Download the resources for Primary Social Studies here and the resources for Secondary Geography here. The Secondary Geography resources were developed with input from the Academy of Master Teachers.
NMS Image

The More We Play Together! – A Playbook for the Young and Young at Heart 
20 Apr to 30 Sept

A playbook full of quiet activities and fun facts for children and the young at heart! Find your way through the museum's exhibition The More We Get Together: Singapore's Playgrounds 1930 – 2030 and outdoor play spaces, discovering little known facts about Singapore's playgrounds and the museum’s historic grounds.
 
Recommended for children aged 5 to 12 years old. Download this activity book here from 20 April or pick up a free copy at the exhibition.


Past Programmes

A Lighter Side of History: Playgrounds Special 轻松看历史：你的游乐场回忆
Saturday, 12 May 2018 | 2pm – 3pm | The Salon, Level 1

For many Singaporeans, reminiscing about their childhood brings back fond memories of the distinctive and nostalgic playgrounds of the 1980s. These playgrounds of our yesteryear, along with other familiar examples of the old Singapore landscape, are etched in our collective memory. They are also a source of inspiration for local picture-book author Lee Kow Fong’s (Ah Guo/阿果) whimsical and child-like works. In this Playgrounds Special of A Lighter Side of History, Ah Guo will share his creative process and take you on a journey through his playful imagination of Singapore. This programme will be delivered in Mandarin.

Special Talk: Behind the Scenes of The More We Get Together
Wednesday, 16 May 2018 | 7.30pm – 9pm | The Salon, Level 1

Delve into the world of museums and exhibition-making as you go behind the scenes of the exhibition, The More We Get Together: Singapore's Playgrounds 1930 – 2030. Find out more from the curators, architects, and audio-visual producers behind the project as they take you through the entire process, from conceptualisation to execution. Whether understanding why artefacts were chosen, or the unique ways in which they are displayed, discover more about the exhibition from the people who put it together. 
 

Playground Masters: A Hackathon for Teens
 Saturday, 9 & 23 June 2018 | 1pm – 4pm | Activity Room, Level 3
Saturday, 30 June to 2 July 2018| 10am – 5pm | Gallery 10, Level 1

Are you an aspiring designer, builder or architect? A tech-geek who wants to learn skills in 3D modelling, animating and rendering? A teen who has great ideas on how our future playgrounds should look like?

The National Museum will be building our very own playground and we want you to help us make it happen. If you are between the ages of 13 to 16 and believe that the playground experience should be an inclusive one, this hackathon is just for you!

Design Thinking and Technical clinics for participants will be conducted by professional coaches, architects, digital artists and videographers on 9 June and 23 June from 1pm to 4pm. Participants will also have access to subject matter experts and all the necessary tools throughout the dates of the Hackathon from 30 June to 2 July (10am – 5pm /2 July: 10am – 1pm).  There are a total of 5 sessions.

This programme is presented by National Museum of Singapore with It Takes an Island and supported by Autodesk, Da Vinci Kids and DigiMUSE.

Owning a Piece of our Heritage: Mosaic Playgrounds as Merchandise
Saturday, 14 July 2018 | 2pm – 4pm | The Salon, Level 1 

Mosaic playgrounds are not only fondly remembered by Singaporeans but have also become a muse for local designers in recent years. From pins to plates and even toys, the playgrounds of yesteryear have been shrunk and adapted as part of a new generation of Singapore souvenirs. Come learn about the ways that memories of our mosaic playgrounds have inspired  the creation of these exciting products! 

 

Children's Season Special: Timmy and Tammy at the Dragon Playground – Storytelling Session by Esther Eio 
Friday, 7 Sep 2018 | 2.30 pm – 3pm | Stamford Gallery, Level 1

The iconic dragon playground was built in 1979 and remains a favourite with Singaporeans today. He watches all that goes on and loves it when children come to play with him and make new friends. Come and listen to the story of Singapore's favourite dragon playground - the guardian of friendships!This programme is brought to you in collaboration with Armour Publishing.


Free with registration

See the True Me: Let's Chat about Playgrounds @ NMS!
Saturday, 15 Sept | 2pm - 4pm | The Salon, Level 1

This experience offers members of the public the opportunity to meet Inclusion Ambassadors from The Disabled People's Association (DPA), who will share their stories of living with disabilities. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in games and interactive activities. The activities are designed to provide a richer understanding of DPA’s ambassadors in work, social and community settings. “Let’s Chat About Playgrounds @ NMS” is hosted by DPA in collaboration with the National Council of Social Service. 

Free with registration. Register at http://bit.ly/LetsChatNMS



Curator Tour
Thursday, 24 May 2018 | 7.30pm – 8.30pm | Stamford Gallery, Level 1

Join our curators, Rachel Eng and Wong Hong Suen, for an exclusive tour as they take you through an insider's perspective of The More We Get Together: Singapore’s Playgrounds 1930 – 2030. Discover the stories behind the artefacts and learn more about the way the exhibition was planned and built as the gallery opens its doors to you after hours. 

The Voices Behind Our Homes, Our Stories
Sunday, 10 June 2018 | 2pm – 3pm | Gallery10, Level 1

Migrant domestic workers are a familiar sight at our playgrounds as caregivers to our elderly and young, but have you ever wondered what life is like for them in Singapore? This reading of Our Homes, Our Stories offers a glimpse into the lives of migrant domestic workers as they share their tales of pain, love and dreams.

Our Future Playgrounds: A Dialogue
Saturday, 30 June 2018 | 2pm – 4pm | Gallery Theatre, Basement Level

How do we envision our future playgrounds? How much of the past informs the way in which we think about the playgrounds of today and tomorrow? Do we all have an equal stake in the future of our playgrounds? Inspired by the installation on the future of playgrounds in The More We Get Together, this dialogue brings together the primary commissioners of today's public playgrounds, HDB and NParks, as well as the exhibition designers and the students that built the installation. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on how we envision our future playgrounds and how the past and the future inform the ways in which we build playgrounds today.

Free with registration

The Play Project by Stefen Chow
Saturday, 18 Aug | 2pm - 3pm | Gallery Theatre, Basement Level

In 2015, Stefen Chow and his partner Lin Hui-Yi set out on a drone photography adventure to pay homage to their childhood play spaces. The result is The Play Project, a stunning aerial survey of 100 playgrounds across Singapore. Join us to hear from Chow as he shares about his project inspiration, photography and play.

Stefen Chow is an award-winning photographer based in Beijing. His work has been exhibited in the Hermitage Museum, Thessaloniki Museum of Photography and the Central Academy of Fine Art Museum Photo Biennale. To see his project depicting playgrounds in Singapore, visit www.theplayproject.sg

Curator  Tour
Thursday, 13 September | 7.30pm - 8.30pm | Stamford Gallery, Level 1

Join our curators Rachel Eng and Wong Hong Suen for an exclusive tour as they take you through an insider's perspective of The More We Get Together: Singapore's Playgrounds 1930 – 2030. Discover the stories behind the artefacts and learn more about the way the exhibition was planned and built as the gallery opens its doors to you after hours. 

$10 per pax. Visit nmsplaygrounds.peatix.com for registration.

Family Time

Visit our permanent galleries with your little ones and play spot-the-artefact! Our colourful Early Learning Resources introduce pre-schoolers to our artefacts according to the themes of Numbers, Colours, and ABCs. Available at $8 per set from the Museum Label shop. For more children's activity booklets, click here.

Museum guide

Download our museum guide (English, Chinese, Bahasa Melayu, Tamil) to find out about the many treasures in our various galleries. In this guide, you will also find the floor plan for easier navigation. Enjoy your visit!