Visiting the National Museum of Singapore

I love museums!  I just can't get enough of them.  They're rich halls of information and make history truly come alive.  And one of the best I've visited is located here -- the National Museum of Singapore.

National Museum of Singapore (apologies as this might not be the best photo to represent this great hall)

Considered as the oldest museum in the Lion City, this impressive hall is full of various artifacts and other similar items of importance to the culture of the country and, to some extent, its connection with its Asian neighbors.

Housed in a grand Neo-Palladin and Renaissance style building, the National Museum of Singapore is actually one of the 4 national museums of the country.  It is home to tons of interactive displays and educational galleries showcasing life here since its early days.

A half day tour is never really enough as a lot of the displays will make you want to stop and take everything in greedily.  Here are just some of the fascinating exhibits they have open to the public.

One of its more famous displays is the Singapore Stone, a fragment of a sandstone slab that bores an undeciphered inscription, believed to be in either Sanskrit or Old Javanese, dating back to at least the 13th century (read a short summary about this artifact at Wikipedia.com.)

Singapore Stone

Pottery fragments and other similar relics can also be seen.

Pottery and other fragments

Another precious artifact are these Gold Ornaments of the Sacred Hill from East Java. 

Gold Ornaments of the Sacred Hill from East Java

Found at Fort Canning Hill (one of Singapore's most historic landmarks) during an excavation for a reservoir in 1928, these solid gold ornaments, highly reminiscent of the Javanese style, is a reminder that the country was once heavily influenced by the kingdom of Majapahit, an ancient empire based in what is now modern-day Indonesia.

There are also old photos detailing life in the old colonies.

Life in the colonies

And even the currency.

Currency

Yes, folks.  Nothing sure beats a trip to the museum to get those brain cells working.  So many things to see, so little time.  J

***

National Museum of Singapore
93 Stamford Road
Singapore 178897 
T     +65 6332 3659
W   http://www.nationalmuseum.sg



Please visit the National Museum of Singapore website (click here for the site) for more information on operating hours and ticketing prices.

Planning to visit?  Drop by my "Getting Around Singapore" post (click here) for more details on how to get around the Lion City.