Singapore History Gallery reopens in October with fresh look at the past through new narratives
SINGAPORE – The newly revamped Singapore History Gallery will open on Oct 10, offering new perspectives on more than 700 years of Singapore’s history through the people who experienced it.
From eyewitnesses and descendants to writers, artists and curators, their perspectives will take visitors from 14th-century Temasek to present-day Singapore, with new immersive installations and previously unseen artefacts.
Anchored by the question “Who are we?”, the gallery explores how Singapore’s identity has evolved through its place in the region and wider world, linking historical milestones with personal experiences.
It also features richer narratives and enhanced interactive experiences that encourage deeper engagement.
One of the exhibits is a newly commissioned timelapse work by photographer Keith Loutit, an Australian living in Singapore who captures over a decade of the country’s changing cityscape.
“The Lion City 2012–2026” by Keith Loutit, an Australian photographer living in Singapore.
PHOTO: KEITH LOUTIT
The revamped gallery also gives greater attention to Singapore’s post-war and contemporary developments, with sections from the 1980s onwards featuring largely new content. These sections take a more reflective look at how events from visitors’ lifetimes have shaped Singapore.
New artefacts include a traditional Nanyang coffee roasting machine from Ho Tit Coffee Powder Factory. A restored 1970s HDB lift illustrates the transition from kampong to HDB living.
A traditional Nanyang coffee roasting machine of Ho Tit Coffee Powder Factory.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE
Before entering the gallery, visitors will pass through the Singapore Odyssea, an exhibition on the country’s milestones and myths in the Shaw Foundation Glass Rotunda, which reopened in July 2025 after its revamp. The exhibitions in the rotunda and the gallery are designed to be a unified experience.
The flagship gallery of the National Museum of Singapore (NMS) will reopen just two days before the museum’s 139th anniversary.
The revamp is part of a wider phased restoration of NMS that began from September 2023, which also included infrastructure works to the historic monument.
The Singapore History Gallery was last refreshed in 2015, making the revamp its first full one since its opening 20 years ago.
NMS director Chung May Khuen said: “The revamped Singapore History Gallery is…shaped by new research, fresh perspectives and voices from our communities that have deepened our understanding of the Singapore story.”
A restored HDB lift from the 1970s.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE
The revamp was based on feedback from more than 160 people across different age groups and backgrounds. They showed strong interest in the themes of identity and multiculturalism, while highlighting a need for clearer context and link to contemporary life.
A panel of 12 Singapore academics also advised on the gallery’s focus on local perspectives.
To commemorate the gallery’s reopening and the museum’s anniversary, NMS will host Stories of Everyday from Oct 10 to 18, with activities including an art market, live performances, and workshops.
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