Culture

The Moshe Safdie-designed ArtScience Museum resembles a blooming lotus in what was a reflection of Singapore’s coming of age in both the creative and technology sectors when it opened in 2011. The 10 “petals” serve as exhibition spaces for shows in which art and science, media and technology, and design and architecture intersect. As well as the permanent exhibitions that revolve around themes of curiosity, inspiration and expression, ArtScience has hosted exhibitions of works by Vincent Van Gogh and Leonardo Da Vinci.

The bank of the Singapore River is an apt place for the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), which tells stories of the great tribes that originated along the major waterways that functioned as trade routes. More than a decade after it first opened in 2003, a major facelift of the museum added two new wings and a new riverfront entrance.

Fascinating items from China, Southeast Asia, India and the Islamic world reveal the rich connections that have flourished here for centuries. The ACM has also commissioned contemporary artworks and offers residency schemes. Don’t miss Le Quoc Viet’s commemorative wood-block print piece that explores consumerism and commercialisation in modern societies. 

Deck Singapore is a collection of 20 grey shipping containers stacked between rows of concrete buildings in the artistic Bugis neighbourhood. In addition to gallery spaces showcasing the works of emerging and established photographers from Singapore and beyond, there’s a library, a café and an activity space where enthusiasts can delve deeper into the craft. Deck also hosts an artist-in-residence programme that encourages practitioners to push the boundaries of what they can accomplish with a camera.