More museums offering free admission to S'poreans, PRs
More museums have come on board to offer free entry to Singaporeans and permanent residents.
Acting Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong revealed this on Saturday -- the first day of free entry to national museums and heritage institutions islandwide.
The museums saw about 10,000 visitors on Saturday -- compared to an average of about 7,800 on a usual day.
The additional attractions announced on Saturday are the Singapore Discovery Centre, the Army Museum and Memories at Old Ford Factory. With these on board, citizens and PRs can now visit 11 attractions for free.
They include the Asian Civilisations Museum, Malay Heritage Centre, National Museum of Singapore, Peranakan Museum, Reflections at Bukit Chandu, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore Philatelic Museum and Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall.
Mr Wong said that the initiative is an important step to strengthen their links with Singapore's past.
"These institutions, together with our national museums, I think they collectively keep alive the Singapore story, and they provide links to our past, and they help to strengthen our sense of common identity," he said.
"And I hope all Singaporeans will make full use of this free entry, to come, get to know the Singapore story and appreciate and enjoy our diverse culture and heritage."
Hafizah Latiff, a housewife, commented: "We parents sometimes don't know much about Singapore too. So when they do this, at least it's okay. (What's more), they have activities for children to join.”
Kovritam Thilagar, who has been a permanent resident for eight years, said: "It's a good opportunity for my children, my baby and my parents also, because they're learning more about Singapore and their history and it's a very important purpose.”
Mr Wong noted that the free entry is just a start of a broader strategy to make the museum experience a high quality one for visitors.
However, he added there would be times when Singaporeans have to pay for entry to museums, such as when they hold special exhibitions. Mr Wong explained these exhibitions are expensive, but it is important to have them, so that Singaporeans can be connected to the wider world.
During this year's budget, the government announced that it will pump in S$62 million over the next five years to buy and conserve artworks and artefacts in the national collection.
National Heritage Board (NHB) chief executive officer Rosa Daniel said this will help the museums further improve the quality of their artefacts.
Museums will also be actively looking out for artefacts relating to Singapore. They include colonial items, contemporary artwork by Singaporean artists, as well as personal items of Singaporeans linked to the history and heritage of Singapore.
Mrs Daniel added that more programmes are currently in the works.
She said: "I'm not going to spoil the surprises but certainly, we have a lot in store. We are hoping with free entries now, more Singaporeans, more visitors will come to the museums."
The museums kick-started day one of free entry with the sixth edition of the Children's Season exhibition.
Aimed to inspire, engage and educate children through experiential exhibits, Children's Season will run from May 18 to June 30, at 19 participating museums, including the National Museum of Singapore and Singapore Art Museum.
In the past 10 years, NHB has seen an increase of almost three-fold in visitor numbers from 1.1 million in 2003 to 2.8 million in 2012.
~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~
More museums have come on board to offer free entry to Singaporeans and permanent residents.
Acting Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong revealed this on Saturday -- the first day of free entry to national museums and heritage institutions islandwide.
The museums saw about 10,000 visitors on Saturday -- compared to an average of about 7,800 on a usual day.
The additional attractions announced on Saturday are the Singapore Discovery Centre, the Army Museum and Memories at Old Ford Factory. With these on board, citizens and PRs can now visit 11 attractions for free.
They include the Asian Civilisations Museum, Malay Heritage Centre, National Museum of Singapore, Peranakan Museum, Reflections at Bukit Chandu, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore Philatelic Museum and Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall.
Mr Wong said that the initiative is an important step to strengthen their links with Singapore's past.
"These institutions, together with our national museums, I think they collectively keep alive the Singapore story, and they provide links to our past, and they help to strengthen our sense of common identity," he said.
"And I hope all Singaporeans will make full use of this free entry, to come, get to know the Singapore story and appreciate and enjoy our diverse culture and heritage."
Hafizah Latiff, a housewife, commented: "We parents sometimes don't know much about Singapore too. So when they do this, at least it's okay. (What's more), they have activities for children to join.”
Kovritam Thilagar, who has been a permanent resident for eight years, said: "It's a good opportunity for my children, my baby and my parents also, because they're learning more about Singapore and their history and it's a very important purpose.”
Mr Wong noted that the free entry is just a start of a broader strategy to make the museum experience a high quality one for visitors.
However, he added there would be times when Singaporeans have to pay for entry to museums, such as when they hold special exhibitions. Mr Wong explained these exhibitions are expensive, but it is important to have them, so that Singaporeans can be connected to the wider world.
During this year's budget, the government announced that it will pump in S$62 million over the next five years to buy and conserve artworks and artefacts in the national collection.
National Heritage Board (NHB) chief executive officer Rosa Daniel said this will help the museums further improve the quality of their artefacts.
Museums will also be actively looking out for artefacts relating to Singapore. They include colonial items, contemporary artwork by Singaporean artists, as well as personal items of Singaporeans linked to the history and heritage of Singapore.
Mrs Daniel added that more programmes are currently in the works.
She said: "I'm not going to spoil the surprises but certainly, we have a lot in store. We are hoping with free entries now, more Singaporeans, more visitors will come to the museums."
The museums kick-started day one of free entry with the sixth edition of the Children's Season exhibition.
Aimed to inspire, engage and educate children through experiential exhibits, Children's Season will run from May 18 to June 30, at 19 participating museums, including the National Museum of Singapore and Singapore Art Museum.
In the past 10 years, NHB has seen an increase of almost three-fold in visitor numbers from 1.1 million in 2003 to 2.8 million in 2012.
~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~
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