Singapore Art Museum facts for kids
Front view of the Singapore Art Museum
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| Former name | Saint Joseph's Institution |
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| Established | 20 January 1996 |
| Location | 71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555 |
| Type | Contemporary Art Museum |
| Collections | Singaporean, Southeast Asian and East Asian art |
| Architect | Charles Benedict Nain |
| Public transit access | CC2 Bras Basah DT21 Bencoolen |
The Singapore Art Museum (Abbreviation: SAM) is an exciting art museum in the Downtown Core area of Singapore. It's the first museum in Singapore completely dedicated to modern visual arts. SAM has one of the most important collections of art from local, Southeast Asian, and East Asian artists. The museum also works with other art museums around the world to create amazing contemporary art shows.
SAM displays art in different places, like Tanjong Pagar Distripark, its historic buildings, and other partner locations across Singapore. The main historic building, built in 1955, used to be the Saint Joseph’s Institution on Bras Basah Road. Another building, called 'SAM at 8Q', was once the Catholic High School on Queen Street. SAM also helps organize the Singapore Biennale, a big art event, which it has done many times since 2011.
History of SAM
SAM officially opened its doors on January 20, 1996. It was one of the first art museums in Southeast Asia to have world-class facilities and programs.
The museum was first planned as part of a bigger project by the National Museum of Singapore. The idea was to create five museums in the city. The project to build the Fine Arts Museum started by restoring the old St. Joseph's Institution building. This old building was a national monument and took over two years to restore. It cost about S$30 million to bring it back to life.
SAM first opened to the public on October 20, 1995. One of its first art pieces was a huge, 7-meter-tall Swarovski crystal chandelier at the main entrance. It weighed 325 kilograms and took over three months to make! Singapore's Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, officially opened the museum on January 20, 1996. He hoped the new museum would help Singapore become a center for art, culture, and new ideas in Asia and the world.
In 2019, the museum's historic buildings closed for a big renovation. This work will help protect the old architecture and is expected to finish in 2026.
In January 2022, SAM opened a new art space at Tanjong Pagar Distripark. This new location has two galleries, a food and drink area, and studios for artists. While the historic buildings are being renovated, SAM continues to hold exhibitions and events at partner locations and community spaces.
Where to Find SAM
SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark is in an old port area. It is near other art spaces like Gajah Gallery. You can easily walk to Chinatown, Duxton, and Everton Park from there. It's also easy to get to by public buses, the MRT train, and taxis.
SAM's historic buildings are right in the middle of Singapore's arts and culture district. They are close to many major performing and visual arts schools and centers. These include the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, and the School of the Arts.
SAM also used to have another building at 8 Queen Street, called SAM at 8Q. This building also showed SAM's collection of modern art and new artworks. Both of these historic buildings are currently closed for redevelopment.
Art Collection and Shows
SAM likes to show artworks from the National Collection alongside new, changing exhibitions. This helps visitors get a full experience of modern Asian art. Since 2001, the museum has been collecting art from all over the region. They have works by famous artists like Cheo Chai-Hiang, Dinh Q. Lê, and Yayoi Kusama.
The museum often works with other top art institutions to create and share exhibitions. For example, they have partnered with the Yokohama Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. They also worked with the Pompidou Center for a video art show.
SAM regularly puts on contemporary art exhibitions and events. French artist Stéphane Blanquet has presented installations there twice. Another French artist, Emmanuel Guillaud, also showed his installation Until the sun rises in 2011.
Since 2010, SAM has focused more on modern art from Southeast Asia. In 2020, they had an exhibition called Time Passes, which showed works by 13 new Singaporean artists. In 2021, The Gift exhibition featured artists from the region like Dolorosa Sinaga and Ho Tzu Nyen.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de arte de Singapur para niños
- National Gallery Singapore
