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.jpg) Entrance to the National Museum of Singapore | |
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Former name | The Raffles Library and Museum |
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| Established | 1887; 139 years ago (1887) |
| Location | 93Stamford Road, Singapore 178897 |
| Coordinates | 1°17′48.2″N103°50′55.1″E / 1.296722°N 103.848639°E /1.296722; 103.848639 |
| Type | History Museum |
| Accreditation | National Heritage Board |
| Director | Chung May Khuen[1] |
| Architect | Henry McCallum[a] J. F. McNair[b] W Architects andI.M. Pei[c] |
| Public transit access | CC2 Bras Basah DT21 Bencoolen |
| Website | www |
| Designated | 14 February 1992; 34 years ago (14 February 1992) |
| Reference no. | 30 |
TheNational Museum of Singapore is a publicmuseum dedicated toSingaporeanart,culture andhistory. Located within the country'sCivic District at theDowntown Core area, it is the oldest museum in the country, with its history dating back to when it was first established in 1849, starting out as a section of a library at theSingapore Institution[d] as theRaffles Library and Museum.
After several relocations over the next few decades, the museum moved to its current permanent site atStamford Road in 1887. Between 1993 and March 2006, it was briefly known as theSingapore History Museum, before it subsequently returned to its present name that was first given in 1965. The museum preserves and interprets Singapore's social history, exploring the key events and people that have shaped the nation.
It is one of six national museums in the country; the other five being the twoAsian Civilisations Museums atEmpress Place Building andOld Tao Nan School respectively, theSingapore Art Museum,Peranakan Museum as well as theNational Gallery Singapore. The National Museum of Singapore is also one of the country'snational monuments, having been designated as such in 1992 by theNational Heritage Board. It is one of the largest museums in Asia.[2] The National Museum of Singapore exhibits sculptures,objets d'art, paintings, drawings, and archaeological finds. Admission to the National Museum of Singapore is complimentary for Singaporean citizens and permanent residents.[3]
The museum was established in 1849 by the then Singapore Institution Committee, and is the oldest museum in Singapore, hence its 19th century exterior design. Upon establishment, it was known as theRaffles Library and Museum, starting out as a section of a library at theSingapore Institution[e] before moving to 93 Stamford Road in 1887 after several relocations, where it is currently located.[4] The museum was designated aNational Monument of Singapore on 14 February 1992 by theNational Heritage Board. Between 1993 and March 2006, it was known as theSingapore History Museum, before it subsequently returned to its present name that was first given in 1965 as the National Museum of Singapore.
Over the decades, the National Museum of Singapore has expanded and undergone various expansions and renovations, with a three-and-a-half-year restoration that was completed on 2 December 2006, and was officially reopened on 7 December 2006 byPresident of SingaporeS. R. Nathan and theMinister for Information, Communications and the ArtsLee Boon Yang.[5] Its most recent restoration and upgrading works began in September 2023 with staggered gallery closures, and is slated for a full reopening in October 2026. The museum remains open in the meantime with exhibitions and programmes.[6]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(March 2023) |
In 2019, Tang Holdings donated a large collection ofSir Stamford Raffles memorabilia, including 46holograph letters and his bookThe History of Java, to the museum.[7]
In 2022, seats fromSingapore Airlines's firstAirbus A380 were added to the museum's collection.[8] In 2023, aSolari board previously used atChangi Airport's Terminal 2 was added.[9] In 2024, a 1970s Nanyang coffee roasting machine and a 1979Housing and Development Board lift were added.[10] In the same year, some parts from a decommissioned 1995SMRTSiemens C651 train that served theNorth–South andEast–West lines (NSEWL) until 2024, such as train doors, seats and map displays were also added to its collection.[11]
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