Get your
History right leh!
National Museum of
Singapore
Introduction of National Museum of Singapore
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With a history dating back to its inception in 1887, the National Museum of Singapore is the nation’s oldest museum with a progressive mind. It is custodian of 10 National Treasures, and its Singapore History and Living Galleries adopt cutting-edge and varied ways of presenting history and culture to redefine conventional museum experience. A cultural and architectural landmark in Singapore, the Museum hosts innovative festivals and events all year round – the dynamic Night Festival, visually arresting art installations, as well as amazing performances and film screenings – in addition to presenting thought-provoking exhibitions involving critically important collections of artefacts. The programming is supported by a wide range of facilities and services including F&B, retail and a Resource Centre.
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SINGAPORE LIVING GALLERIES
Fashion
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what is the name of the dress?
pyjamas
Hiphop Maxi Dress Indonesian-styled Kebaya Silky Sari
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INDONESIAN
STYLED KEBAYA 10
Did you get it correct? If you did, good for you! If you didn’t, just giggle because life is all about making mistakes. Kebaya is known for its elegant slim looking tailor work, capable of showing one’s figure. Did you know? There are many versions of Kebaya? This is due to the huge craze of Kebaya in the olden days which spreads to the different parts of Asia
Indonesian-styled Kebaya
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INDONESIAN
STYLED KEBAYA
Kebaya pendek 1960 Lace and synthetic lining Donated by Puan Noor Aishah
This kebaya pendek is distinguished by a short hemline that ends near the hips. It is fashioned after the same style of kebaya asthe Indonesian national dress. The V-shaped panel on the front of the tunic is sewn on one side while the other side is secured by press studs. For formal occasions, First Lady Puan Noor Aishah (1959-70) matched this top with a kain panjang (an unstitched ankle length cloth). To complete the ensemble, she draped a seledang (shawl) over her shoulders.
Kain Panjang 1960s Batik Donated by Puan Noor Aishah
Selendang 1960 Lace Donated by Puan Noor Aishah
HOLD ON THERE ARE OTHER varieties in the Singapore Living Gallery: Fashion
Look around you. What do you usually see teenagers wearing on the streets? Geek T-shirts, Denim shorts and Converse shoes. I’m sure all these clothes bores you a little by now, I guess? So why not give your eye a little different to look at in the National Museum of Singapore (NSM) Living Galleries: Fashion. Traditional costumes like Cheongsam, Sari and Kebaya is something you don’t usually see in Singapore right now. Perhaps, why not try asking your parents or grandparents about what they usually wear when they were young? Their answers might probably be found in our Living Galleries. Don’t believe me? Why not try asking?
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SINGAPORE LIVING GALLERIES
FILM and
Wayang
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What is this bizarre-looking thing called?
Mojojo the evil mask doll Teochew wire puppets Chinese Opera glove doll
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Chinese Opera GLOVE DOLLS
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Did you get it correct? If you did, good for you! If you didn’t, just giggle because life is all about making mistakes. Don’t be afraid of the scary exterior of this particular Glove doll. Did you know? Sometimes, the scariest looking glove dolls turns out to be the hero of a particular opera?
Chinese Opera Glove Dolls
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Chinese Opera GLOVE DOLLS 22
Singapore was a unique locate where a variety of puppetry styles from various regions in southeast China could be found. These ranged from Hokkien (Fujian) glove puppets and Teochew (Chaozhou) wire puppets to Hainanese rod puppets and Heng hwa (Xinghua) string puppets. Although the few puppets differ in size and in the method of tiny manipulation, they are generally divided into two categories: those with painted faces and those without. Puppets with painted faces are used to express heightened feelings and take on largerthan-life roles such as heroic generals, vilians and mythical beings. Puppets with unpainted faces are used to portray roles such as scholars, ladies, princes, princess, emperors and empresses. Most of the glove puppets were used in Sin Sai Lok troupe that arrived from Fujian, China in the 1930s. Each puppet fits over the hand like a glove, with the index finger of the puppeteer forming the puppet’s head and neck. The thumb and three remaining fingers are inserted into the sleeve to form arms. Skilled puppeteers can manipulate the puppets into performing intricate actions such as smoking a pipe and opening a folden fan, and rousing sequences such as acrobatic feats and pugilistic duets.
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HOLD ON THERE ARE OTHER varieties in the Singapore Living Gallery: Film & Wayang
Other than Chinese Opera dolls, you can find varieties of ancient films, videocams, tapes and even accessories like hair ornaments in Singapore Living Galleries: Film and Wayang. What’s so facinating about the gallery is that it has so many interesting puppets to look at. From ferocious looking puppets to feminine looking ones. Other than that, there are video clips for you to look at and understand the origins of all these artefacts. Making you more aware of what Singapore used to be. Isn’t it interesting to look at things you have never seen before?
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SINGAPORE LIVING GALLERIES
Food
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What are these baskets used for?
Just for fun lor! Children elevator FOr collection of food & money
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Collection
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FOOD & MONEY
Did you get it correct? If you did, good for you! If you didn’t, just giggle because life is all about making mistakes. Do not underestimate these fragile looking baskets. These baskets has been a huge part of each and every “Lazy” Singaporeans who are tired to get out their house to collect their food from the vendors.
For collection of food & money
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Collection
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FOOD & MONEY
The selling of street food was a highly personalise business. Hawkers provided cheap meals right at the customer’s doorstep. Each bowl of noodles cost about 30 cents in the money, and then carefully hoist it back up once it was loaded with food. The Colonial authorities recognised that these hawkers provided and indispensable service in feeding immigrant labourers, most of whom were single. However, they also resented the hawkers’ unregulated use of public space. From the late 19th century, the authorities rolled out more regulations to register and licence hawkers. By the 1960s, the government had banned itinerant hawkers and customers had to go out of the home to get their favourite food. By the late 1980s, all vendors of makeshift food stalls had to shift their operations to hawker centres. The street hawker no longer existed.
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HOLD ON THERE ARE OTHER varieties in the Singapore Living Gallery: Food
In Singapore Living Gallery: Food, you can find a lot of olden days tools for culinary and spices for Singapore’s signature food like Char Kuey Teow and Chicken Rice. If you are a food lover, you would definitely love this gallery because it showcases various ways of obtaining food in the past and how people gathered together to create a distinct taste of Singapore.
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SINGAPORE HISTORY GALLERIES
Contributors
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Who is this person?
Sang Nila Utama David Marshall Stamford Raffles
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David
MArshalL OUR CONTRIBUTOR
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Did you get it correct? If you did, good for you! If you didn’t, just giggle because life is all about making mistakes. He look familiar, doesn’t it? Well, you’ve seen him in your Social Studies textbook during your primary school days! Now, you can understand David Marshall a little more in National Museum of Singapore - Singapore History Gallery.
David Marshall
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David
MArshalL OUR CONTRIBUTOR David Saul Marshall Singapore’s first elected Chief Minister from 6 April 1955 to 7 June 1956, a diplomat, a top-notch criminal lawyer, head of the Labour party and founder of Workers’ Party. The bushy eye-browed politician with his trademark pipe, was well-known for his great oratorical skill and stirring speeches made under the “apple tree” in Fullerton Square as well as clashes with the ruling party, PAP, and Lee Kuan Yew on the political arena. He also served as Singapore’s first Ambassador to France, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland between 1978 to 1993 on the invitation of former Foreign Minister S Rajaratnam. After seeing his biography, don’t you find him honourable? Being a leader is never easy but David Marshall proved to us that being a leader isn’t hard for him because he has what it takes to lead. If you are curious to know more about him and what he contribute to Singapore’s history, come down to take a look yourself and get wowed by his achievements!
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HOLD ON THERE ARE OTHER varieties in the Singapore History Gallery
Are you able to recognise some of these people? One of them is of course, our one and only, Sir Stamford Raffles. One of our forefathers who founded Singapore and aided in Singapore’s growth and development in the past. Can you actually imagine, what if, Sir Stamford Raffles did not stop by Singapore. What will Singapore look today? These are some questions we have to ask ourselves and also, thank them for making it possible for Singapore to grow into what it is today. Creating a history worth reminising.
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Author’s note
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Walking around Singapore Art Museum definitely brought peace and serenity into my mind as the works provoke an inner thought in me.., “If the world change...”. It made me realised a piece of art can have such an impactful message to it. How I wish I have a rich vocabulary of descriptive words to describe how awesome Singapore Art Museum is. I guess its up to you to experience the “museum” feeling by visiting it yourself!
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Citations
www.nationalmuseum.sg/‎ national museum of singaporeleh!rightGet yourHistory Description of Artefacts, credits to National Museum of Singapore
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