International Museum Day Symposium 2026

Synopsis and Concept

The theme for NHB’s IMD Singapore Symposium 2026, Museums Uniting a Divided World, recognises the important role museums play as social spaces for communities to build meaningful relationships, and to bond through shared histories. The Symposium features three panels on Love, Conflict and Unity, highlighting how relationships shape narratives, and how communities endure, overcome differences, and uphold unity.

The programme for IMD Singapore Symposium 2026 is as appended below:

Symposium Programme and Speakers List

Singapore Time (GMT+08) Programme 
0930 - 1000 Registration and Coffee / Tea Break
1000 - 1005  Welcome and Introduction 
1005 - 1010 

Opening Address by:
Chang Hwee Nee
Chief Executive Officer of National Heritage Board, Chair of ICOM Singapore and Chair of the Museum Roundtable
1010 - 1050 Museum Roundtable 30th Anniversary Dialogue – What Lies Ahead for Museums in the Next 30 Years? 

The speakers on this panel are: 
  • Kenson Kwok, Founding Director, Asian Civilisations Museum and The Peranakan Museum
  • Joseph Tan, Chief Executive Officer, Defence Collective Singapore 
  • Adrian George, Director (Exhibitions, Public Programmes, and Museum Services), ArtScience Museum
  • Michelle Kuek, Partnerships Lead, NUS Museum

Moderator: Low Sze Wee, Group Director (Museums), National Heritage Board
1050 - 1115 Morning Break
1115 - 1245 

 Panel 1: Love    

Throughout history, love has driven major events, shaped cultures, inspired art and religion, fuelled societal evolution, and served evolutionary functions (such as marriage). It has demonstrated its power to unite, destroy, inspire, and define human experience across millennia. Through these aspects of history, civilisations and communities foster identities and create bonds that unite individuals in civic society. Museums, as spaces that curate these stories and care for objects inspired by love and assion, are thus crucial in preserving the fundamental emotions that create and drive modern civilisations.

This panel explores the theme of love explored by museums in exhibition making, collections management, and audience engagement, and how human emotions and relationships drive grander actions that build families, civilisations, and histories.

The speakers on this panel are: 

  • Olinka Vištica, Founder and Director, Museum of Broken Relationships
  • Salwa El-Shawan Castelo-Branco, Professor (Ethnomusicology), New University of Lisbon
  • Corinna Gardner, Senior Curator, Victoria and Albert Museum

Moderator: Selina Chong, Assistant Director (Museums Planning), National Heritage Board

1245 - 1345  Lunch Break
1345 - 1400 Introduction to Afternoon Programme and Ice Breakers
1400 - 1530 
Panel 2: Conflict 

Conflict is a pervasive force driving change, causing upheavals, and resulting in cultural clashes that have lasting impact on the economic and social fabric of nations. As institutions that preserve stories and document histories, museums play an important role in presenting lessons learnt from these struggles, and the human spirit and resolve that endured these travesties. 

This panel invites audiences, researchers, and museum professionals to ponder the conflicts and wars fought throughout history and consider ways our society can confront difficult memories through careful curation and well-researched engagement strategies in museums. 

 

The speakers on this panel are: 

  • Hang Nisay, Director, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
  • Dorina Subashi, Lecturer and Researcher (Museology), Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës
  • Clifford Chanin, Executive Vice President and Director, The 9/11 Memorial & Museum

 

Moderator: Brett Marshall, Director, Air Force Museum of New Zealand 

1530 - 1600 Afternoon Break
1600 - 1730

Panel 3: Unity

Museums and cultural institutions unite communities by acting as inclusive hubs for shared heritage, dialogue, and co-creation, breaking down barriers through diverse programming, partnerships, and technology. They move beyond passive repositories to become active partners in community building, offering safe spaces for conversation and collaborative storytelling.

This panel invites museums, cultural institutions, and independent researchers to share how they have developed strategies to transform their institutions to empower communities to find common ground and shared purpose. 

The speakers on this panel are: 

  • Lisa Sasaki, Deputy Under Secretary for Special Projects, Smithsonian Institution
  • Nor Jawahir Binte Raduian, Curator and Director General Special Officer (Policy and Strategic Planning Unit), Department of Museums Malaysia farid rakun, Writer, Editor, Lecturer, and Artist, ruangrupa and Gudskul Indonesia

Moderator: Liyana Nasyita, Manager (Programmes), Malay Heritage Centre

1730 - 1745  Closing Remarks and Photo Taking

About IMD Singapore Symposium

IMD Singapore Symposium is a signature event organised by ICOM Singapore in collaboration with NHB and the Museum Roundtable to encourage thought leadership and the sharing of international best practices amongst museum professionals.

About ICOM Singapore

The ICOM Singapore National Committee represents all ICOM members in Singapore. Presently chaired by Ms Chang Hwee Nee, Chief Executive Officer of NHB, ICOM Singapore is supported by a secretariat at NHB and works closely with the Museum Roundtable.

About the Museum Roundtable

The Museum Roundtable is a collective established by NHB in 1996 to promote a museum-going culture amongst Singaporeans and to position museums as unique cultural destinations. The members comprise over 60 public and private museums and heritage galleries covering the subjects of national history, culture and community, art, defence, lifestyle and collectibles, healthcare, science and innovation. Together, members collaborate on exhibitions, festivals and programmes, share best practices, and focus on building and raising the capabilities of its members.