The best things to do in Singapore in February 2020

Travel back in time to the bustling trading port of the East Indies that drew the attention of the Dutch and British East India Companies. The East Indies were the centre of the spice trade, comprising the Malay Peninsula and Indonesian Archipelago. But the European arrival is only a fraction of its longer history. Uncover the other factors at play leading up to the events of 1819 through this informative exhibition.

Take a glimpse into what a Peranakan family’s domestic life was back in the 20th century at this eye-opening exhibition by NUS Baba House. The Baba House was established as a conservation project with the intention of mobilising research and study into a range of disciplines. Teaming up with the Peranakan Association of Singapore, this project has since afforded a range of perspectives relating to the building’s history. The interpretative display on the first and second floors is showcased as an identifiably Peranakan home with artefacts that typify early 20th century Straits Chinese materials and social histories, as well as the contemporary perspectives that may complicate them. This exhibition brings together artefacts, artworks, video and audio recordings, and textual sources that examine the myriad ways in which the Peranakan identity is constructed.

National Gallery Singapore’s newest exhibition pays tribute to a building with a long and colourful history, the City Hall. Since its completion in 1929, City Hall (formerly known as the Municipal Building), has borne witness to key moments in Singapore history, from serving as a bomb shelter during the Japanese Occupation to housing Singapore’s first Public Complaints Bureau. Today, it forms one wing of the National Gallery Singapore. City Hall: If Walls Could Talk is held in conjunction with the Singapore Bicentennial commemoration. The immersive multimedia experience celebrates the building’s rich history by combining art with stories inspired by key events that took place in the grand City Hall chamber. The new exhibition is part of the Gallery’s ongoing efforts to delve into the two national monuments the museum is housed in. This is further supported by a visual display at the nearby Singapore Courtyard. Titled Memories of City Hall, the display features a selection of oral history interviews and archival materials that capture the unique stories and memories of people based in City Hall from the 1960s to 1980s. The exhibition opens its doors to the public on September 1, and is slated to be open for two years. 

Asian Civilisations Museum opens doors for culture vultures to explore the best of both traditional and contemporary Chinese art through artworks, heritage, culture and fashion from China and Singapore. Kickstarting the latest season is Guo Pei: Chinese Art and Couture (June 15 to September 15). Known for her iconic yellow cape as worn by Rihanna at the MET Gala in 2015, China's preeminent couturière Guo Pei is showcasing 29 of her most iconic embroidered creations in dialogue with 20 Chinese art masterpieces from ACM’s collection. That's not all – a special exhibition opens later this year to showcase the collection of Southeast Asia's renowned Chinese art collector, the late Dr Tan Tsze Chor, which features paintings by Ren Bonian, Qi Baishi, and Xu Beihong. The season then concludes with two collaborations – one with Beijing’s Palace Museum, showcasing the masterpieces of Ming-dynasty art, and the second with the Shanghai Museum, where highlights from the Tang Shipwreck collection at ACM travel to Shanghai in a first-ever special exhibition in China.