The Malay Heritage Museum
The 9 galleries housed in both floors of the Istana Kampong Gelam will tell the story of the Singapore Malays, their roots, struggles, aspirations and role in the nation-building process.
1 st Floor Galleries
The Malays was a maritime society, and this Foyer, which welcomes visitors to the Museum, will showcase the material culture of the Malays as a maritime society. Artifacts are presented at two central Wall Units. This is further supplemented with an audio-visual presentation capturing the rich diversity of the Malay people.
Johor Riau Lingga Kingdom : A Political Overview
Before 1819, Singapore was part of an important Malay maritime entity - the Johor-Riau-Lingga kingdom. The signing of the 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty permanently divided the kingdom into two - Johor and Singapore came under the British and Riau-Lingga under the Dutch spheres of influence.
This gallery captures the fascinating aspects of the kingdom and the colonial policies which eventually divided it permanently.
A unique 3-D model of the Malay settlement in Singapore in 1819 takes centrestage in this gallery. The model illustrates the geographical landscape of Kg Gelam in that period, where Sultan Hussein's estate was just a few steps away from the beach.
Rare prints from the late 19th to the early 20th century would further illustrate life in those early days of Malay settlement.
Kampong Gelam as the Center of Literacy & Pilgrimage
A little-known fact is that Singapore , and Kampong Gelam in particular, was the center of Islamic learning and literacy in the late 19th century. Singapore was the hub of the publication and distribution industry for religious writings. Kampong Gelam itself boasted a few important industry-players like the Al-Ahmadiah Press.
Muslim immigrants from the Malay Archipelago made their way to Singapore before embarking on their journey to Mecca . Some spent a few months in Kampong Gelam to work and save enough money for their trip. Most would-be pilgrims came to Kampong Gelam to buy the supplies needed for the long journey by sea.
Kampong Gelam
This gallery is devoted to capturing life in Kampong Gelam in the days when the royal palace was a focal point of cultural and religious activities.
A mural painting depicts the tragic fire which razed Kampong Gelam in the mid 19 th Century. Munsyi Abdullah's poetic verses capture in amazing details the events on that fateful day.
2nd Floor Galleries
The Malay Community from 1900 – 1945
The beginning of the 20 th Century was a time of great change for Singapore 's Malay community. As more and more immigrants arrived in Singapore to make a home for themselves, there was a growing sense of being Singaporean Malays, rather than Javanese, Jawi-Peranakans, etc. This new-found identity found expression in literary writings, and in the rise of popular art forms like the bangsawan.
Malay Cultural Expressions 1946-1964
The optimism and enthusiasm that lay hidden and buried beneath a rigid and harsh Japanese Occupation was now released and allowed to run unfettered in the years after the war. The manifestation of this free spirit resulted in a period of increasing cultural activities within the Malay community.
Singapore became a major centre of Malay literacy, culture as well as the hub of the Malay film-making industry.
Independence and the road to nationhood
The immediate concerns of the government in the immediate years after independence are with development and nation building. Efforts and resources were channeled into housing, education and employment.
A large proportion of the population were still living in villages without electricity and running water. Life for Singaporeans changed dramatically with the move from the villages to HDB flats. It was a period of adjustment, but also a sense of optimism that things were picking up for the new nation.
Participating in a new society
This gallery captures the Malays as part of Singapore 's multi-cultural, multi-religious society. Careers, festivals, customs, aspirations are all captured here in the form of multi-media presentations.
