February and March Highlights from The National Heritage Board for Families

The National Heritage Board manages our museums and heritage centres, and they have an exciting line-up of family-friendly activities and programmes in-store at the various venues! 

From a series of guided tours featuring stories relating to Singapore's experience during WWII to special exhibitions, here's what you can look forward to at the different museums in February and March 2022! 

Battle for Singapore 2022

Venue: Various venues
Date: 12 Feb - 6 Mar 2022 (Weekends)
Time: Various timeslots
Fee: Varies

Marking the 80th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore, the National Heritage Board (NHB) will be partnering Museum Roundtable members, heritage experts, academics and interest groups to organise Battle for Singapore 2022 – a series of guided tours and programmes featuring stories and places that relate to Singapore’s experience during the Second World War (WWII).

From 12 February to 6 March 2022, members of the public can participate in a series of WWII-related activities offered by NHB and partners, including specially curated limited-run tours to special access WWII sites, tours to the newly-revamped Changi Chapel & Museum and Reflections at Bukit Chandu, as well as WWII-themed talks/webinars focusing on lesser-known stories and accounts.

For those who want to test your knowledge of significant WWII-related sites, look out for the “Hike-and-Seek” online activity on the I Love Museums Facebook page and solve clues to win exclusive Museum Label merchandise!

Programmes by Malay Heritage Centre

Cerita (Stories) Special Exhibition

Venue: Malay Heritage Centre
Date: 29 Jan – 31 Jul 2022 (closed on Mondays)
Time: 10 am - 6 pm (last entry: 5.30 pm)

Over the years, the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) has presented an array of exhibitions and programmes along the four thematic categories of Bahasa (Language), Adat (Culture & Customs), Nilai (Values) and Bangsa (People/Nation). At the heart of this approach was the desire to promote discussions on who are the Malays i.e Melayu, what is the ‘Malay language’, and survey Malay culture through cultural and heritage materials from the vast Nusantara or Malay Archipelago.

Envisioned more as a pit-stop on a journey that will continue after the planned museum revamp, this exhibition is a timely occasion for all of us to reflect on the past and imagine the future together. Cerita shines the spotlight on the shared stories as well as the role of the storyteller via a survey of selected artefacts and signature collaborations that MHC has presented over the past decade.

Guided by the two signposts of Kita (Us/ We) in Gallery 1, and Me-reka (Them/Crafting) in Gallery 2, Cerita (Stories) Special Exhibition hopes to indulge both returning and new visitors, to discover fresh insights and perspectives on Malay culture and heritage.

What’s Nenek’s Occupation?

Venue: Malay Heritage Centre
Date: 29 Jan - 31 Jul 2022 (closed on Mondays)
Time: 10 am - 6 pm (last entry: 5.30 pm)

Put on your detective hat because Agent Laila has a mission for you!

Uncover the occupation of Laila’s grandmother through this detective game where you would need to solve riddles and quests in the mission cards. The answers will be clues that will lead you to a location in the exhibition for the grand reveal.

Students and families can explore MHC’s latest exhibition, Cerita (Stories) through this self-exploratory hunt game and learn about various aspects of Malay culture, heritage and arts that.

This programme is available in English and Malay. Admission is free.

Lintas Nusantara x Silat: Balada Nusantara

Venue: MHC Facebook Live
Date: 30 Jan (Showcase #1) & 4 Feb 2022 (Showcase #2)
Time: 8 pm

The 10th installation of Lintas Nusantara is a love letter to silat – an ancient martial art form practiced across the Nusantara. Explore silat’s influence on dance in the region through magnetic performances.

Showcase #1 

1. Pajaga Makkunrai, Malkassar: Performed by Ida El Bahra Arts Management feat. Daeng Serang Dakko and Guru Tenri
2. Galuik Kumango, Jakarta: Performed by Benny Krisnawardi and Sigma Dance Company

Showcase #2 

1. Dauliti, Singapore: Performed by The Kaizen and Seri Setia Pulau Singa 
   Silat and the Bawean Community: Featuring Persatuan Bawean Singapura and Sanggar Seni Dharma Pasuruan

Tales of Sang Kancil (Interactive Workshop and Theatre Performance)

Source: Malay Heritage Centre

Venue: SISTIC Live Stream
Date: 8 Oct 2021 - 31 Mar 2022
Fee: $300 (for full programme)

Sang Kancil is a small and clever mousedeer who uses its wit and intelligence to triumph over creatures more powerful than itself in the animal kingdom. The Tales of Sang Kancil is a compilation of folktales for children based on adventures of Sang Kancil in the Malay world.

Combining elements from two cultural art forms, Indian Dance (e.g. Bharatanatyam) and Malay Dance (e.g. Inang and Zapin) to depict characters in the forest, this programme comprises a performance video and two traditional dance workshop videos.

The programme is designed for children aged 4-8 years old to experience the various art forms and be introduced to traditional Malay musical instruments. Admission for the programme includes one performance, two workshops, student worksheets, as well as guide for parent or educators.

Tales of Sang Kancil will also be available from November 2021 in an accessible format that includes Singapore Sign Language interpretation as well as closed captions.

Programmes by Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

Nian Hua: Of Guardians, Deities and Auspicious Art Exhibition

Source: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
Date: 21 Jan - 25 Sep 2022 (closed on Mondays)
Time: 10 am - 5 pm (last entry: 4.30 pm)
Free: Free for all Singaporeans and PRs

Nian Hua: Of Deities, Guardians and Auspicious Art is a collaboration with the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum and showcases new year prints produced in China from the Qing dynasty to the 1980s.

A close examination of the iconography of these prints, which are deeply rooted in popular beliefs and folk customs, provides insights into the rarely-documented attitudes and values of the common people in China.

Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2022

Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
Date: 11 Jan - 13 Feb 2022
Time: 10 am - 5 pm

Celebrate the Year of the Tiger at Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH) with Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2022. Expect family-friendly offerings such as lion dance and festive drumming workshops, heritage trails, guided tours, craft activities for the little ones, and more.

Online programmes will also be available on SYSNMH's Facebook page.

Festive Installation: Blessings Come A-Knocking 祈福临门

Source: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
Date: 11 Jan - 24 Jul 2022
Time: 10 am - 7 pm | 10 am – 9 pm on 28 – 30 Jan, 1, 2, 12,13 Feb 2022

Titled “Blessings Come A-Knocking”, this lawn installation is a collaboration between the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and artist Ng Tik Ka (Tik Ka From East), a Hong Kong artist, illustrator and designer. It features two of the artist’s artworks “Eat Good West” and “Big War” and showcases his signature style of depicting familiar pop culture figures in the traditional style of new year prints.

This installation represents the memorial hall’s wish for protection against the trials and tribulations brought about by the pandemic for Singapore, and personal protection for Singaporeans against the COVID-19 virus. It also embodies their hope to enjoy more healthy and prosperous years, and gives thanks as Singapore continues to persevere on its path to live with COVID-19.