Asian Civilisations Museum Tour: A Beautiful And Artful Passage Through Ages

History Of Asian Civilisations Museum

The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) was founded in the Old Tao Nan School building on 22 April 1997. It was relocated to the former Empress Place building on 2 March 2003.

Architecture Of Asian Civilisations Museum Building

The Asian Civilisations Museum building has a neoclassical colonial design and has gone through phases of expansion through the years. The bottom floor is rusticated, while the main floor has a verandah with arches and a Roman Doric façade. The tall rooms have grand Doric columns, and many original decorations, such as plaster mouldings, architraves, and cornices, are still present from its early days.

The building's interior was kept cool and well-ventilated in Singapore's tropical climate, with numerous French windows before air-conditioning was installed.

The building was designed by Colonial Engineer Major John F.A. McNair, who also served as the Superintendent of Convicts. The construction process, which utilized convict labour, began in June 1864 despite getting approval in 1855. The delay was due to the Straits Settlements' resources being redirected towards military expenses.

Galleries Of Asian Civilisations Museum

There are three levels of galleries for visitors to browse in the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Level 1 Maritime Trade 

The first level of the Asian Civilisations Museum is dedicated to showcasing maritime trade.

Maritime Trade Gallery

The Maritime Trade Gallery showcases a collection of Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian ceramics, mainly created for export to Europe and the Asian royal courts. The gallery also displays Asian furniture and decorative arts made for the export market. Additionally, visitors can explore maps and views of cosmopolitan Asian port cities such as Canton, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Batavia, Nagasaki, and Manila, which provide insights into their history before Singapore's emergence.

Tang Shipwreck Gallery

The Tang Shipwreck starts the museum's ground floor theme of "Trade and the Maritime Silk Routes", which features masterpieces of Asian export art (ceramics, furniture, paintings, gold, silver and other materials made in China, India, Japan and Southeast Asia) from the 9th century. The ship was probably from the Middle East from the Abbasid Empire, returning with its cargo before sinking in the Java Sea. How the art pieces escaped unscathed after the Shipwreck and subsequently being discovered is amazing. This gallery is a must-visit.

The Tang Shipwreck or Batu Hitam (meaning "black rock") Shipwreck was found near Singapore by some fishermen, about 600km away. It was loaded with diverse cargo, showcasing global trade that was already taking place in Southeast Asia in the 9th century. The discovery tells much about the Maritime Silk Route (vs. its more popular overland Silk Road) that connected the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and China. It does not serve the purpose of trading but also leads to cultural exchange and technological innovation.

The ship's ceramics demonstrate the Chinese ceramics industry's competitiveness, shrewdness and targeted marketing. There are finer ceramics, such as Yue celadons (most prized) and white wares from the Xing and Ding kilns in northern China, besides the Changsha ceramics found in the Shipwreck.

The Estate of Khoo Teck Puat donated the Tang Shipwreck to Asian Civilisations Museum in honour of the late Khoo Teck Puat.

Level 2 Faith And Belief

The galleries on the second floor of the Asian Civilisations Mueum present systems and artefacts related to Faith and Belief in Asia. It showcases their spread across the continent by land and sea before being localised.

Ancestors and Rituals Gallery

The Ancestors and Rituals gallery explores the beliefs and practices of traditional societies honouring ancestors as Southeast Asia's diverse communities have reverence for them. Ancestors are believed to be the guardians of the living in this part of the world.

The region is mixed with its geography, ecology, culture and languages. The communities range from rice farmers to maritime traders, and they reside in plains, mountains and islands. They were open to foreign influences, shaping the region's cultures, religions and habits.

Ancient Religions Gallery

In this gallery, main religions like Hinduism and Buddhism were traced from masterpieces of sculpture, painting, and ritual objects from India across trade routes to China and Southeast Asia. Similarities between these two major religions were also highlighted.

Artists used their creativity and imagination to create and assimilate familiar local concepts to create new forms. Buddhism used to be aniconic, meaning only symbols represented Buddha. This started to change in the second century when Buddha's body began to be depicted by artists. The artists also gave the deities relatable human forms or used abstract and symbolic imagery to represent the gods.

Christian Art Gallery

The Christian Art Gallery exhibits artworks used or made in Asia. It also depicts the flow of trade and Christian faith from the Middle East and later from Europe to Asia.

The Christian faith was brought to Asia as early as the 7th century, and new works of art emerged as Christianity expanded throughout the continent. Objects were made from well-established European imagery with Asian artistic traditions. They showcase cultural diversity and religious tolerance and demonstrate the beauty of encountering other religions.

Islamic Art Gallery

The Islamic Art Gallery displays a wide range of objects that were influenced by Islamic values and sensibilities, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia. Visitors can explore the diverse and beautiful world of Islamic art.

The gallery features stunning works of religious art that were created by and for Islamic followers in this region. These objects include both religious and secular items. These works demonstrate how global concepts of Islamic art were adapted to reflect local influences, resulting in unique and visually striking forms.

Scholars Gallery

Scholars in China have been highly revered since ancient times. The Scholars Gallery in the Asian Civilisations Museum explores Chinese systems of belief, philosophy and ritual, some of which derived from Confucian ideas of propriety to the extent that Confucius called them 君子 or The Perfect Gentlemen.

Scholars of the literati tradition have collected and appreciated courtly arts and objects. These traditions can still be found in various forms throughout many Asian countries. Furniture, calligraphy, paintings, and decorative arts all provide insight into the preferences and interests of scholars and those who aspire to be like them.

Level 3 Materials And Design

The galleries on the third floor of the Asian Civilisations Museum focus on decorative art, which includes textiles and jewellery. Beautiful porcelain pieces are also on display in the Ceramic Gallery.

Ceramics Gallery

This is a bright and cheery gallery. Though it is called the Ceramics Gallery, most of the displays are fine porcelains from China (technically, they are still classified under ceramics with earthenware and stoneware).

The Ceramics Gallery presents a comprehensive survey of Chinese ceramics, which at one time was highly prized, and the Europeans and Japanese were trying very hard to crack the technology and techniques to produce them. The white porcelains from Dehua, Fujian province, also popularly referred to as "blanc de chine", were highly coveted by the aristocrats and royals of Europe.

Visitors will also be educated about the differences in the clay and minerals found in northern and southern China. The kilns used to produce in both these regions are different, too.

Ceramics began in China about 20,000 years ago, using earth, fire and water. It is considered one of China's most significant technological and artistic. This is the gallery worth visiting to learn more about ceramics production.

Fashion And Textiles Gallery

This gallery mainly focuses on the textiles produced in India, which are of superior quality, lightweight and vibrant with long-lasting dyes.

It traces the production of cotton, which began in the Indus Valley (around 2500 - 1700 BC) and was exported to China and Rome by the 1st century AD. By the mid-17th century, it was shipped as far away as Egypt.

Every country has their preference for the type of textiles imported. Floral-motif patterns textiles were exported for furnishings and garments, with Southeast Asia preferring deep-coloured ones, while the Europeans preferred white backgrounds, which the English called chintz. French have their "bizarre" silks, known for their whimsical patterns, while the Italians have bargello embroidery.

The different types of finishing on the textiles were also depicted. These are typically by painting, printing, dyeing or patola.

Jewellery Gallery

Southeast Asia has the most extensive range of precious gems and metals. In this region, they are naturally available and traded globally. As rare, they are highly treasured and usually passed down as heirlooms in families. The Jewellery gallery is the first in the world to spotlight Southeast Asian jewellery, exhibiting its varied and complex styles, forms and uses through a showcase of artefacts.

Jewellery is one of the oldest art forms, as adornments are essential from life to death in this part of the world. They share an intimate relationship with their wearer as they communicate the wearer's beauty, rank, and status. The human body is many communities' first and most crucial art medium. Historically, the communities in Southeast Asia have invested an immense amount of artistic energy in producing jewellery in a dazzling array of forms and styles. This includes the kris, an asymmetrical double-edge dagger unique to Southeast Asia.

Special mention is given to gold as the communities in Southeast Asia desire it as it is imbued with social, cosmological and spiritual significance. Amulets and talismans are also part of Asian adornment. They are believed to help the wearer ward off evil, dangers and illness. Others have unique texts that give spiritual blessings and divine protection.

With the rise in global trading, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Chinese, Persian, Indian, Ottoman, and other influences have substantially impacted the designs of their religion's and races' adornments. New ideas were constantly adapted and re-interpreted to suit local contexts.

Retail And F&B In Asian Civilisations Museum

There are a couple of retail shops for refreshments and meals and shopping for souvenirs.

Supermama, The Museum Store

If you have great memories of Singapore, you can head down to Supermama, located on the first floor of the Asian Civilisations Museum and get some lovely souvenirs to bring home or to your loved ones. It has a variety of merchandise, from books to umbrellas, for you to choose from.

Prive ACM

Feeling hungry or wanting a coffee while resting your legs? You may head to Prive ACM for a meal or a light refreshment, which is also located on the first floor.

Places Of Interest Near Asian Civilisations Museum

You will need about three hours to explore the Asian Civilisations Museum. If you plan to spend an entire there, you can do some sightseeing around the historic area without wasting travelling time.

You can visit The Padang to get some sun and appreciate its historic significance to Singaporeans. It will take about an eight-minute walk from the Asian Civilisations Museum. You may want to hop into another museum, National Gallery Singapore, from The Padang, as it is just a minute's walk away.

If you have enough museums after the Asian Civilisations Museum, you can visit the historic Fort Canning Park, another eight-minute walk from The Padang. Another option is to drop by St Andrew's Cathedral, a stone's throw away from The Padang.