Singapore, National Gallery - Art in the City

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The National Gallery Singapore is located within two iconic Singaporean national monuments. These are the former Supreme Court Building and the City Hall. Both monuments were built during the times of colonial Singapore when the country was a Crown Colony of the United Kingdom.

Today, these two buildings have been refurbished, restored and designated national monuments. It is thus fitting that instead of being leased/converted into commercial spaces, these monuments are today home to probably the world's largest collection of Singapore and South-East Asian art. These arts focuses not just on Singapore's cultural heritage but also its inherent links to the cultures of the greater South-East Asian region and the World. The National Gallery is currently Singapore's largest museum.

The National Gallery Singapore is housed in two iconic buildings designated as National Monuments, Singapore (2016)

View of the Marina Bay Bay Sands Integrated Resort from the National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

All Singaporeans and Permanent Residents enjoy free entry to most of the public galleries in the museum. Other visitors are required to pay a small fee for entry.

Visiting the museum opened my eyes to the visual arts and history of Singapore and South-East Asia. The many artworks on display allow visitors to both understand and appreciate the local  and regional arts culture and heritage. It will take at least half a day to randomly browse through the various galleries housing both modern and contemporary arts. For a more detailed study of the artworks and other exhibits on display, I would recommend spending at least one full day at the museum.

Painting of the Regent of Galuh by Raden Kusumadibrata dated 1879, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

This painting titled "Forest Fire" is by painter Raden Saleh in 1849, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

This painting is titled "La Banca" (The Boat) by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo dated 1876, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

Another painting by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo. This is titled "Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populache" (Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace) dated 1884, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

Collection of 3 paintings, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

This undated painting is titled "An Indonesian Village at Sunset" by Abdullah Suriosubroto, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

Besides the artworks, I personally find the buildings and their architecture to be great pieces of art that showcased the colonial architectural style of buildings in pre-World War 2 Singapore. The columns and sculptures that adorned the buildings are great to marvel at and are extremely photogenic objects for photography and arts enthusiasts alike.

Ticketing office, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

External view of the smaller "dome" or former Supreme Court Library, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

Internal view of the former Supreme Court Library, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

View of the walkways between the Exhibit Galleries, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

Linkway between the internal wings of the museum, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

View of the entrance of the museum from within, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

The National Gallery is definitely a museum worth visiting whether you are local or a tourist. And its centralised location in the heart of the city means you can wine, dine and shop and yet drop by for a short visit without even having to hop on any public transports in the midsts of all those eatings and shoppings!

The National Gallery is conveniently located within less than 10 minutes walking distance from the City Hall MRT Station (the MRT is the local acronym for metro/subway).

Seasonal exhibits, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

The writings on this stone dated it to the first year of the reign of King George VI on 1st April 1937, National Gallery, Singapore (2016)

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