Peranakan Museum Field Trip

3 other friends and myself were sent to the Peranakan Museum for a field trip on Saturday.

The Peranakan Museum explores the culture of Peranakan communities in Southeast Asia. Installed in the formal Tao Nan Chinese School, built in 1912, this intimate museum possesses one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of Peranakan objects. Galleries on three floors illustrate the cultural traditions and the distinctive visual arts of the Peranakans.
The museum provides a stimulating and educational experience for all, while representing the living culture of the Peranakan community in the region. The museum is a component of the Asian Civilisations, operating under the National Heritage Board.
source: http://www.peranakanmuseum.org.sg/themuseum/abtperanakanmuseum.html

Our objective of coming to the museum was to be "art directors" for a day, to collect anything and everything that inspires us later on. Art directors constantly collect ideas, pictures and anything else they feel is worth storing away. This creates inspiration which can be drawn at a later time. That was what we had to do. Also, we had to answer a whole page of questions while we were there.

My reflection:

Going to the Peranakan Museum was a fun experience. It has become my 2nd favourite place in Singapore after MBS. Things of the Peranakan culture are just things that I have seen on television before I came here. The designs on the Peranakan objects are very detailed and traditional, and it really attracted me alot. There are alot more pictures from where the above came from and I'm sure we would be able to use these pictures as inspiration for further designing assignments in the future. It was really an eye opening experience (I believe for all 4 of us) and we had fun looking at the exhibits. There were some interactive exhibits which helped us to understand the Peranakan culture while having fun. It was a refreshing and whole new experience for me, coming this close to the Peranakan culture. We should have more trips like this where we have fun while learning! Also, we feel that the whole class should come to the museum as it provided a better experience as well as widened our knowledge of other cultures and designs!

Imagining ourselves to be real art directors, we paid more attention to the details on the exhibits. The designs on the Peranakan objects are very detailed and intricate, as well as colourful. It is traditional and I really liked it alot. My favourite exhibit was the ancestral altar.

I would definitely come and visit again! I have come to like the Peranakan culture alot (and wondered if I have a little Peranakan blood inside of me) and would definitely come back again! (plus free admission!!)