[ACM CONVERSATIONS] Inventing a Peranakan Museum

Inventing a Peranakan Museum

Friday, 30 October 2026, 7–8pm

Ngee Ann Auditorium

Asian Civilisations Museum

THIS TALK IS FREE.

Registration (with a $10 refundable deposit) is required.

How did Peranakan art emerge as a distinct category? Organised in conjunction with the opening of Exceptional/Everyday: New Acquisitions, New Perspectives at the Peranakan Museum, this talk traces changing understandings of Peranakan material culture and the eventual founding of the Peranakan Museum in 2008.

Drawing on their experiences at the former National Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum, the speakers consider the roles of museums, private collectors, writers, and dealers in shaping this process, as well as the influence of popular culture in constructing and disseminating ideas of Peranakan identity. The talk will also examine debates around cultural ownership and representation before looking to the museum’s future.

Light refreshments will be served from 6pm at the basement foyer.

Image: The Straits Chinese Gallery at the National Museum, Singapore, 1985–89. Singapore Tourism Board Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore.

About the speakers

Kenson Kwok is the founding director of the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum. As director of ACM, he made the case for establishing a separate museum dedicated to Peranakan culture in Singapore and subsequently helped to build its collection. He retired shortly after the Peranakan Museum opened in 2008 and remains active in the museum sector through local and international committees.

Kwa Chong Guan was the last director of the former National Museum, which he led through a strategic planning process that transformed it into the Singapore History Museum (now the National Museum of Singapore), the Asian Civilisations Museum, and the Singapore Art Museum. He was concurrently assigned to reorganise the Oral History Department at the National Archives of Singapore. He continues to be associated with these institutions in various advisory roles.

About the moderator

Alan Chong was director of the Asian Civilisations Museum and Peranakan Museum from 2010 to 2016, where he developed a range of cross-cultural projects. At the Peranakan Museum, these included Sarong Kebaya: Peranakan Fashion in an Interconnected World, 1500–1950, Great Peranakans: Fifty Remarkable Lives, and Emily of Emerald Hill: Singaporean Identity on Stage. He is now working on a catalogue of Chinese export porcelain and an exhibition on the blended cultures of Batavia.

Held in conjunction with

FAQ
Before registering, please read the following:

1. Why is there a refundable deposit of $10?
The deposit ensures that all registered participants attend. Please ensure that you verify your attendance at the registration counter before the programme. The deposit refund will be processed in Peatix within 24-hours after the event. Depending on your bank, card company and payment method, it can take between 5 ~ 30 business days before the refund is reflected on your card statement. Please write to us on Peatix or email us at [email protected] 24 hours before the event start time if you need to cancel your ticket. Late cancellations and no-shows will be subject to the $10 fee.

2. Do I need to register at the event?
Yes, you will need to sign in at the registration desk to receive the refund.

3. Where is the meeting point and what time should I be there?
The meeting point is the Ngee Ann Auditorium on the basement level of the Asian Civilisations Museum. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the talk for registration. The talk begins at 7pm. Light refreshments will be served from 6pm at the basement foyer.

4. Further enquiries
We’d be happy to answer them for you! Drop us a note via Peatix or email us at [email protected].