|
Brah Basah Road cuts west from Raffles, crossing North Bridge Road and then passing Singapore's newest and most aesthetically pleasing eating place, the CHIJMES complex. Based around the Neo-Gothic husk of the former Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (from whose name the complex's acronymic title is derived), CHIJMES is a rustic version of London's Covent Garden, with lawns, courtyards, waterfalls, fountains and sunken forecourt; the shops here open from 9am to 10pm, the restaurants and bars from 11am to 1am. Northwest of CHIJMES, at 71 Bras Basah, the new Singapore Art Museum (Tues & Thurs-Sun 9am-5.30pm, Wed 9am-9pm; S$3) is housed in the venerable St Joseph's Institution, Singapore's first Catholic school, many of whose original rooms survive. The Art Museum's strength lies in its contemporary local and southeast Asian exhibitions, mapping the modern Asian experience - from Bui Xian Phai's Coalmine, an unremittingly desolate memory of his labour in a Vietnam re-education camp, to Srihadi Sudarsono's Horizon Dan Prahu, in which traditional Indonesian fishing boats ply a Mark Rothko-esque canvas. Boonma's The Pleasure of Being, Crying, Dying and Eating comprises a tall stack of ceramic bowls decorated with jawbones and fronted by a scattering of broken pottery. Guides conduct free tours (Tues-Fri 11am & 2pm, Sat & Sun 11am, 2pm & 3.30pm) around the museum's major works. An eye-catching dome of stained glass tops the entrance to the Singapore History Museum (same times as Art Museum), on Stamford Road. Following a recent shake-up, the only permanent exhibitions are now the History of Singapore Gallery, which features twenty dioramas depicting formative events in the state's history - from the arrival of Raffles in 1819 up to the first session of parliament in 1965, and the Rumah Baba, or Peranakan House, where the lifestyle and culture of the Straits Chinese is brought to life. Free guided tours start downstairs at the ticket counter (same times as Art Museum), and the free film shows in the AV Theatrette (daily at 10am, noon, 2pm & 4pm), examining subjects like old Chinatown and Little India, the Singapore River and traditional kampung life, are also worth catching.
Your Tip for CHIJMES Singapore Art Museum and National Museum
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to CHIJMES Singapore Art Museum and National Museum - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to CHIJMES Singapore Art Museum and National Museum - visit the main CHIJMES Singapore Art Museum and National Museum forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the CHIJMES Singapore Art Museum and National Museum webguide section below! Thanks.
|
