Singapore Art Museum
71, Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555
Civic District Trail 2, Marker 4

The museum holds various exhibition programmes and public programmes which cover a diversity of art trends and practices, fringe activities and public lectures. These help to educate not only the local community, but also the regional and international visitors of Southeast Asian modern and contemporary arts. It also helps to create an awareness of Singapore’s cultural trends among young Singaporeans and stimulates the growth of the cultural environment in Singapore. Hence, it promotes unity among the people.

The Singapore Art Museum was officially opened in January 1996 and it is one of the first art museums with international standard museum facilities and programmes in Southeast Asia. The museum is dedicated to the collection and display of 20th-century Singapore and Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art.

The current building was actually the home of St. Joseph’s Institution from 1852 to 1987. St. Joseph’s Institution was founded by the French priest Father Jean Marie Beurel and a small group of LaSalle Brothers on May 1852. Construction of this building began in 1855 and took 12 years to complete.

As the enrolment increased, new facilities were added, including the Anderson Block (in 1907), the school hall and the Chapel (in 1912). In 1987, the school moved to a larger buliding in Malcom Road, but the statue of St John Baptist de La Salle by Cesare Aureli still remains in the Singapore Art Museum. The restoration of the building to an art museum started in 1992. During restoration, the original design of the building was respected. At the same time, all the requirements for a state-of-the-art museum was integrated into the building. The three historical structures, the Central building, the Anderson block and the Chapel were retained. The Singapore Art Museum is the nation’s premiere venue for international arts exhibitions.

In a relatively very short time, the Museum has gained a credible standing with its international counterparts. Following its first year of establishment, the Museum has brought in several international shows. The Museum promotes awareness and appreciation of art within the local and regional context by its exhibitions and public programmes. By doing so, the museum hopes to encourage the growth of an active and stimulating cultural environment in Singapore.

To find out more about the Singapore Art Museum, visit http://www.nhb.gov.sg/SAM/sam.shtml