The first thing that comes to mind when one mentions the ACM is that of a white, European styled building overlooking the Singapore River that plays tribute to our past as a British Crown Colony and before that, a British settlement.
The Asian Civilisation Museum
The exterior grandness honours our past and seems to hold it dear amongst the rapidly changing landscape due to development of the Singapore River into a commercial hub, giving our history a special place in one of our popular tourist spots. For an enriching, well-rounded and fulfilling holiday abroad, one should not only view a nation’s present when touring but also understand her past and how she came to be what she is today, and the ACM is just the place to visit when touring Singapore. It is conveniently located along the river and is one of the rare few buildings built and designed by Europeans that have been preserved along the river; lending it a rather unique feel amongst the shorter landscape of early Chinese shop houses and the modern skyscrapers of companies like the Bank of China.
Modern Skyscraper - The Bank of China
The interior of the museum is just as grand as its exterior with high ceilings and elaborate designs. Upon stepping into the museum one will be greeted with a rush of cool air and a brightly lit reception area with a relatively high ceiling giving the feel of a lavish expanse of space while the warm lighting readily welcomes visitors. The clean white walls and smooth marble flooring reflects Singapore’s well-kept state as well as induce a sense of luxury, grandeur and class. The flight of stairs leading to the second level (first floor) is wide and carpeted by lush red with white handholds of designs of European origin.
Stairs Leading to the Second Level
The second level is mostly naturally lit in the day by sunlight streaming through open windows and is a large area partially dedicated to various china products. A small section where windows overlook the Singapore River is reserved for artefacts related to the history of said river, where Singapore saw the first sparks of development. The inner galleries of the museum are dimly lit to preserve the older artefacts which are separated according to their civilisations. The artefacts are of a variety of objects, including but not limited to clothes, accessories, tableware, decorations and religious articles. The wide range of artefacts helps illustrate a comprehensive and complete image of the various civilisations dating from their beginnings till present.
Various China Products
A set of artefacts I enjoyed was a small collection of Chinese mints with a square hole at its core found in the gallery of the Singapore River. These types of coins halted production in the early 1900s when China became a republic and were likely brought by Chinese immigrants to Singapore. Ancient Chinese used to string coins of low value together by a string through the holes for easy presentation in large quantities, though many of the rich found stringing so many coins together troublesome. These coins let me in to a little bit of the past where Chinese coolies were not rare on the streets of Singapore, toiling to load goods on boats or into warehouses, and often were paid little for their efforts.
Ancient Chinese Coins
I spent most of my time admiring the items on display in the Singapore River Gallery, but I am sure there are many more interesting things to see in the other galleries. I left the museum feeling very at peace with myself now that I understand my nation’s past better, and was pleased with the expensive feel of the museum itself.
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