Peranakan Museum
Encyclopedia
The Peranakan Museum is a museum in Singapore specialising in Peranakan
culture. A sister museum to the Asian Civilizations Museum, it is the first of its kind in the world, that explore Peranakan cultures in Singapore and other former Straits Settlements
in Malacca
and Penang, and other Peranakan communities in Southeast Asia
. It is housed in the Old Tao Nan School
building at Armenian Street, which served as an extended wing to the artefact collection of Asian Civilisations Museum
.
On January 1, 2006 the Museum, known then as ACM 1 closed the Armenian Street wing for a major revamp. At its closure, the museum management chose Peranakan
culture theme over a children's museum and a Chinese ceramic museum as their new showcase in the Tao Nan School space. This enabled the Museum to house the world's most distinctive and comprehensive Peranakan museum collection of artifacts and wares, with a potential annual visitorship numbers of 112,000 people. Also, the revamp enabled 25 per cent more exhibition space for contextual displays for different aspects of Peranakan home and lifestyle. It also includes plans for Peranakan-themed eateries and shops in the row of four shophouses adjacent to its building.
The museum officially opened on April 25, 2008, with ten permanent galleries showcasing main themes of Peranakan life. A central feature of the museum is the Peranakan Wedding Bed which once belonged to Mrs. Quah Hong Chiam of Penang, and the very bed where she gave birth to the first seven of her 11 children.
The different galleries are found in the following manner:
Gallery 1 titled Origins provides an introduction to Peranakan culture and to various Peranakan communities in Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Southeast Asia. Visitors to the subsequent rooms will learn about the story of the traditional 12-day Peranakan wedding, where significant ceremonies like the lap chai (exchange of gifts) and chiu thau (coming of age) are presented. Visitors can also see the
elaborate wedding chamber and a wedding procession taking place indoors on Level 2. Gallery 6 Nonya, features the arts and crafts of Nonyas like beadwork, along with a display on the Nonya kebaya, and the womenfolks' role of transmitting cultural values to Peranakan children. Gallery 7 shows Religion, on Peranakans and their faiths. Gallery 8 illustrates the commerce, politics and social affairs of prominent Peranakans in Singapore’s history in this exhibition titled Public Life. Gallery 9 on Food and Feasting, provides a grand banquet setting with the world’s best collection of nonya porcelain. And finally the visual experience concludes with an introspection of modern Peranakans and how they feel about their heritage and the future of their culture in Gallery 10 (Conversations). Additional Special Exhibitions Galleries will feature changing specific-themed exhibitions.
Peranakan
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
culture. A sister museum to the Asian Civilizations Museum, it is the first of its kind in the world, that explore Peranakan cultures in Singapore and other former Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
in Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
and Penang, and other Peranakan communities in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. It is housed in the Old Tao Nan School
Old Tao Nan School
The Old Tao Nan School is a historic building in Singapore, located along Armenian Street in the Museum Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district. The building was a wing of the Asian Civilisations Museum. The other wing of the museum is located at the Empress...
building at Armenian Street, which served as an extended wing to the artefact collection of Asian Civilisations Museum
Asian Civilisations Museum
The Asian Civilisations Museum is an institution which forms a part of the three museums of the National Museum of Singapore. It is one of the pioneering museums in the region to specialise in pan-Asian cultures and civilisations...
.
On January 1, 2006 the Museum, known then as ACM 1 closed the Armenian Street wing for a major revamp. At its closure, the museum management chose Peranakan
Peranakan
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
culture theme over a children's museum and a Chinese ceramic museum as their new showcase in the Tao Nan School space. This enabled the Museum to house the world's most distinctive and comprehensive Peranakan museum collection of artifacts and wares, with a potential annual visitorship numbers of 112,000 people. Also, the revamp enabled 25 per cent more exhibition space for contextual displays for different aspects of Peranakan home and lifestyle. It also includes plans for Peranakan-themed eateries and shops in the row of four shophouses adjacent to its building.
The museum officially opened on April 25, 2008, with ten permanent galleries showcasing main themes of Peranakan life. A central feature of the museum is the Peranakan Wedding Bed which once belonged to Mrs. Quah Hong Chiam of Penang, and the very bed where she gave birth to the first seven of her 11 children.
The different galleries are found in the following manner:
- Gallery 1 (Level 1)
- Galleries 2 – 5 (Level 2)
- Galleries 6 - 10 (Level 3)
- Special Exhibitions Galleries (Level 3)
Gallery 1 titled Origins provides an introduction to Peranakan culture and to various Peranakan communities in Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Southeast Asia. Visitors to the subsequent rooms will learn about the story of the traditional 12-day Peranakan wedding, where significant ceremonies like the lap chai (exchange of gifts) and chiu thau (coming of age) are presented. Visitors can also see the
elaborate wedding chamber and a wedding procession taking place indoors on Level 2. Gallery 6 Nonya, features the arts and crafts of Nonyas like beadwork, along with a display on the Nonya kebaya, and the womenfolks' role of transmitting cultural values to Peranakan children. Gallery 7 shows Religion, on Peranakans and their faiths. Gallery 8 illustrates the commerce, politics and social affairs of prominent Peranakans in Singapore’s history in this exhibition titled Public Life. Gallery 9 on Food and Feasting, provides a grand banquet setting with the world’s best collection of nonya porcelain. And finally the visual experience concludes with an introspection of modern Peranakans and how they feel about their heritage and the future of their culture in Gallery 10 (Conversations). Additional Special Exhibitions Galleries will feature changing specific-themed exhibitions.