Art Attack: Singapore Art Museum

I love museums. I love history. In fact, I always scored high on my history subjects. It is just because I am fascinated about people from the past, achieved for us, the new generations, to enjoy.I love ancient civilizations, world records, evolution and the dark ages. I love renaissance and the Arts and culture of different eras. I love the fact that I am in a moment, wherein I can enjoy a part of life of the people before, and that is because of Museums. (Am i being to emotional here? sniff sniff.)

But hey, Let me tell you a secret. I never really became a fan of museums until I traveled solo few years back. When I went to Melaka, Malaysia, that was the first time I realized that I love museums. And when I came back, It seemed I was bitten the Museum Bug ( of course this is just a term I made up. do not be that gullible. haaaa).

On the serious note, When you travel solo, you can just appreciate and absorb anything you see, especially those that are not familiar or known to you. I was so appreciative of things in melaka, that I was walking happily under the rain, walking and hopping on the streets like a lost child. ( please do not judge. I love the rain. it made me feel so blissful to not to care of anything sometimes and just be a child.)

I know I can be that ironic. I love history classes, I love maps and the globe, I love  watching Nat geo and discovery channel way back when It was not that cool to be a geek. But i never appreciated museums during my childhood. One reason maybe is that I was not exposed to it. Even if my school is a private and exclusive school, they do not have a mini museum of some sort at school ( such an ambitious kid right? ) but I am proud of my alma mater ( we have all kinds of laboratories and displays of preserved animals and creepy stuff.) 

And in my home town, the Museum was not really like an attraction. It is a part of the seminary. Not too inviting for me as a kid though, The whole place feels so sacred. Not so touristy. and just to serious for a kid to handle. ( and again, please do not judge. I am not just an extrovert and brave kid way back then. such a late bloomer you know.)

I did not enjoy my first museum visit. period. Even the second one, or the third even. The only time that I realized my love for Museums was when I was a 20 plus adult, in a complicated relationship with myself, and working abroad ( and someone who just read eat,pray.love — ah elizabeth Gilbert era changed many women’s lives. including mine.)

When I came back to Singapore after my Melaka trip, I promised myself that I will be visiting each and every museum in the country. Singapore has one of the finest museums in Asia, if not in the world. The country 5 national Museums: Asian Civilization Museum, Peranakan Museum, National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum and 8Q SAM.The country has several other museums and many heritage institutions. ( you know, Singaporeans are quite patriotic as Filipinos. Even the slightest bit of their History is meaningful to them)

So Far, I have ticked off 4 out of 5 National Museums, but I may be missing a lot on the several little museums and heritage institutions. At least there are always a lot of places I will be visiting when I get to visit my second Home. ( i see myself going back to the lion city at least once a year)

ThFirst National Museum that I have visited is the Singapore Art Museum. I was with my bestfriend at that time, and it is seldom to find a time for both of us to bond with each other. Singapore work life may always demand 99% of your time, so being Busy in the City is nothing but normal as breathing.

The museum is open Monday-Sundays at 10:00 AM to 7:00pm. Last Admission is 6:15PM. During Fridays , you can get in for free from 6:00pPM- 9:00PM and they extend until 9PM. You can also get in for free during Open House Activities. Me and my Best friend was  able to get in for free on an afternoon on a weekday. ( You know I am such a stingy person. I saved 10 SGD. and that is a lot. )

For student with valid student Pass and senior citizens ( with valid ID) aged 60 and above, They have to pay 5SGD. You can purchase your ticket when you are at the museum or buy it from SISTIC online. ( but please don’t if you wanna save 1SGD for their processing fee. that is till equivalent to an ice cream or a bottle of water or a single journey pass going back to orchard via MRT.) Singaporeans and Permanent Residents are of course free admission, except for some ticketed exhibitions.The Museum was actually a School. The school have to make way for The museum so they transferred and Thus, SAM stands mightily at the very heart of Singapore. It has a wide collection of Artifacts mostly from South East Asia and a little from the wider asia region.  It features contemporary artists from different Asian Countries, whether they are the Famed ones or a neophyte.

SAM holds different events like Film Fests, Public Programs and other special events. The have different exhibits every now and then so it is a must to visit their site before you go there if you are eyeing a certain artist’s exhibit or any special activities.If you are lucky enough to be Media Staff , like if you are a writer, journalist, reporter, editor or correspondent, just present a valid Media Pass or Name card to enter the Museum for free. Just contact the staff on their website beforehand. Guided Tours are also available. You can check their site for tour schedules in 3 Languages: English, Mandarin and Japanese. When your tummy started growling after all the walks and your deep analysis and appreciation of the Arts (hahaha seriously) there are cafes at the ground floor of SAM. If you are going to shop for some souvenirs and SAM Collectibles , You can visit Museum Labels. If you are into anything quirky and personalized stuff, go visit Supermama. SAM is located nearby  major performing arts and visual arts institutions: such as the Nanyang Academy of the Arts, LaSalle College of the Arts, the Stamford Arts Centre, the Selegie Arts Centre, Singapore Calligraphy Centre, YMS Arts Centre, Dance Ensemble Singapore and Action Theatre as well as the School of the Art.

The nearest MRT station is Bras Basah. It is just a few minutes walk from the MRT Station. SAM is also a few minutes walk from Bugis, Dhoby Gaut, or the City Hall Station. If you are in Singapore and have all the access to its museums,why not go? Museum visits always gets me the feeling of nostalgia and relief. So walking inside it is a form of relaxation for me. Singapore boasts of its long string of museums, some of them you can get in for free, so Go! I promise you that you will learn a lot. If you have to pay to get In, well, it is worth your every penny. i swear. Oh I cannot wait to visit Singapore’s other museums. I am so excited to go back! Thing is although i have been going back and forth in Singapore since 2006, i haven’t actually finished visiting all its tourist attractions. Thing is, This little Big City continues to add more and more sites to visit every year, that my list just goes on and on.

This is one of the reason why i love this country. They preserve their culture. They maximize the space they are endowed with and makes a lot of possibilities out of whatever they have. They Create. They innovate. And they will never stop.

Looking forward to visit ArtScience Museum in 2015,

Maria