ACM (Asian Civilisations Museum) is Singapore’s national museum of Asian antiquities and decorative art. Living in a multiracial country for so long, I tend to forget how much of our culture has evolved and my visit was very eye opening. As we move forward into the future, ACM is a great way to rediscover our multiracial permanent collections and innovative special exhibitions with a pan-Asian scope.
Galleries on the first floor of the ACM revolves around stories of trade where you follow the narrative beginning from a collection that features items from the famous Tang Shipwreck. With more than 1,000 pieces of ceramics, gold, and silver displayed, these ancient treasures were only discovered in 1998.
With a nice view of the actual river through the wide glass windows while being in the museum, you can see how far we have come while tracing its development from the early days.
On the second floor, you will be greeted with sculptures, paintings, and ritual objects from all the religions in Singapore from Hinduism to Christianity. These exhibits, show how the various influences spread all over our society. At the back of all the sculptures, you can also visit the Scholars in the Chinese Culture Gallery. This is where you’ll learn about the backstory of how respect is shown to those who came from an academic background in China.
On the third floor, there is also the Ceramics Gallery which showcases a multitude of Chinese paintings, calligraphy works and ceramics. With a fashion and textiles section, the gallery displays an array of fashion items that change periodically. For those who prefer some bling, visit the jewellery gallery which appears in a dazzling array of forms and styles. As one of the oldest art forms, adornments are essential to the human experience. From life to death, jewellery is present at every stage and shares an intimate relationship with its wearer.
Overall, my visit was educational, and I learnt not only about other cultures but my own as well. This was an eye-opening experience for the fact that we as a country came so far together but it reminded me that we should also revisit our history to learn about our roots. I’ve only touched on some of the exhibits available at the Asian Civilisation Museum but I’ll leave it to you guys to discover the rest of the museum for yourself.
Address: 1 Empress Pl, Singapore 179555
Opening Hours: 10.00am to 7.00pm daily | Fridays opened till 9.00pm
Pricing: Adult $20 | Student/Senior Citizens Concession $15 | | Free for children 6 and below
This article was brought to you by Raj who is currently fleeing the battle~
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