This cache brings you to the National Museum of Singapore - a beautiful Neo-Palladian building that has served as Singapore's landmark museum for almost one and half centuries. While the museum has expanded over the years, the distinct fish-scale tiled rotunda has been an iconic feature of the building, greeting visitors as they enter the stately entrance atrium, and begin their journey through Singapore's history.
Act 1: The Beginnings of a Collection
The collection here had its humble beginnings as the Raffles Library and Museum, as an attempt by the colonial authorities to establish a natural history and ethnographical collection representing the region. The collection began in earnest in 1849 with the donation of two gold coins by the Temenggong of Johor, and steadily grew over the years, through the work of naturalists who scoured the region for new species. The collection moved several times in its early years, first located at the school that would soon be known as Raffles Institution, and later at the Town Hall (today's Victoria Concert Hall), and then back into the Institution.
It was then that the idea of a dedicated building to house the large collection was proposed, and Colonial Engineer Henry E. McCallum designed the iconic front section of the musuem we see today. The design was simplified somewhat by John F. A. McNair, and the first part of the building, with the rotunda was completed and opened in 1887.
The Museum in the 1890s (before the extensions)
As the collection grew, two more wings were added behind the original front block - the parallel annex was first added in 1907 to house the zoological collection, and another wing in 1916 to expand the library. The annexes were cleverly designed to mimic the exact style of the original block, so much so that until today, it's hard to tell that they were later additions.
Act 2: The Parting of the Ways
The Museum in the 1920s (after the first extensions)
Over the decades, the Raffles Museum collection become the most prominent collection of natural history artifacts in the region, and as space grew scarce, the Library's collection was transferred to the newly established National Library building next door in 1960, and the Museum was renamed the National Museum.
The next major change was to come in 1972, when the government decided that Museum was to shift its focus to documenting the history of the new nation of Singapore. The zoological and natural history collection was scattered through the region, with part of the collection kept by the National University of Singapore (where it later formed the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity, and its successor, the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum). The rest was sold to Malaysia and India, among other places.
The National Museum's Famous Whale Skeleton (which has now been lost)
The building was gazetted as a National Monument in 1992, and changed its name to the National History Museum in 1993. One final major change took place between 2003 and 2006, when the museum closed down for major renovations, which saw the addition of the modern annex behind the original one. The Museum reopened in 2006 and took on its current name, The National Museum of Singapore.
Act 3: The Museum Today
Today, the museum is home to the Permanent History Gallery, which is housed in the modern annex, Temporary Exhibitions which is also housed in the modern annex, and a set of smaller galleries in the original building, each representing a specific aspect of Singaporean society and culture. The museum also houses several outdoor artworks and exhibitions, such as the Singapore Night Festival, usually on its front lawn. Admission to the Permanent History Galleries are free for Singaporean Citizens and Permanent Residents, though there is an admission fee for the Temporary Exhibitions.
Even without visiting the galleries, the architecture of the building is a sight to behold. From the aforementioned entrance atrium under the rotunda, try to find the mysterious spiral staircase that is rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of a former curator. You can also cross the glass passage between the old and new annexes and see the rotunda tower over the glass ceiling, or enjoy the musical show and projections in the "second rotunda" that marks the entrance to the History Gallery.
And Finally...
Yes... about the cache. You will find it outside the museum, accessible 24/7 with ample parking at Fort Canning Park.