NDR 2026: S’pore to showcase Chinese heritage with new gallery and exhibition

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SINGAPORE – Singapore is stepping up efforts to preserve and deepen appreciation of Chinese heritage and culture, with a new gallery tracing the history of the Chinese community and an exhibition showcasing rare editions of China’s four great classic novels.

A Singapore Chinese Heritage Gallery to honour the country’s Chinese pioneers will be set up by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) in 2031, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced in his Mandarin speech at the National Day Rally on Aug 23.

“The true value of Singapore Chinese culture lies not only in what we can see and taste. It carries well over a century of our pioneers’ wisdom. They forged a life with people of different races. The wisdom they gained underpins our peace and prosperity today,” he said.

The heritage gallery at the Singapore Conference Hall will trace how the pioneers put down roots and built lives here, and pay tribute to the Chinese community organisations that helped build Singapore’s multiracial society, he added.

Its storyline will span Singapore’s development from the pre-14th century to modern times, according to SCCC. The gallery is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the National Heritage Board.

To gather diverse perspectives and anchor the gallery in the local multicultural context, SCCC said it will consult other cultural institutions such as National Museum of Singapore, Malay Heritage Centre, Indian Heritage Centre, and Eurasian Association.

Since mid-2025, SCCC has also been conducting engagement sessions with participants such as community leaders, clan associations, youth and students on how the Chinese community’s story should be told.

One of the key insights from the consultations is the need to provide a balanced, historically grounded overview of the Chinese community’s development, covering key aspects such as migration and settlement, businesses, the arts, and the contributions of different generations of immigrants.

It is also important to show how Singapore Chinese culture has evolved through interactions with other communities in Singapore’s multicultural society, SCCC said.

It will launch a travelling exhibition to introduce the gallery to members of the public, who will be invited to share their aspirations for the Singapore Chinese story.

The exhibition will be on display at Chinatown Point from Aug 25 to Sept 11 and One Punggol from Sept 12 to Oct 2. It will then travel to other venues such as public libraries, community hubs and schools.

SCCC chairman Ng Siew Quan noted that there has been no single institution that brings together and presents the broad overview of the history of the Chinese community until now.

“The gallery will fill this gap, serving as a one-stop hub where the public can learn about the community’s development, cultural heritage and contributions to nation-building,” he said.

Historian Kua Bak Lim, a member of the gallery’s advisory panel, said: “The gallery will become a convenient one-stop destination for locals and visitors to learn about the Chinese Singaporean experience, and how our identity is multi-faceted and shaped by shared experiences.”

Four Chinese classics coming to Life

Meanwhile, an exhibition on the four great Chinese classic novels – Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dream of the Red Chamber, Water Margin and Journey to the West – will open at the National Library Singapore in December 2026.

It brings together rare historical artefacts from the National Library of China (NLC) and National Library Singapore.

“Many Singaporeans know these stories from young and have learned many values from them,” said PM Wong. “The exhibition will include treasured artefacts being shown outside of China for the first time. It is a rare opportunity, and we look forward to the exhibition.”

Presented in both English and Chinese, the exhibition offers an immersive journey through each novel’s story world, with interactive digital installations woven in, NLB said.

Among the highlights are artefacts on loan from the NLC, including Tier 1 cultural relics, China’s highest classification for national heritage objects. These early editions, woodblock prints, and opera scripts dating from the 17th to 19th centuries have never been exhibited outside of China.

Creating conducive environment for learning mother tongues

In his speech, PM Wong said there are concerns that Singaporeans may gradually lose touch with their cultural roots and lose their bilingual edge. “We must preserve our Asian identity and character and must not become a monolingual society,” he added.

He updated that over 1,000 students have benefitted from the easing of criteria for taking up Higher Chinese this year.

Today, one in four Secondary 1 students studying the language is taking it at the Higher Chinese level, and more schools are also offering Higher Chinese, he noted.

While schools matter, the language environment at home is also important, PM Wong said.

Recalling his growing up years, he said: “Every evening, my family watched Channel 8 dramas together. From the Army Series to The Flying Fish and The Awakening, I did not miss any of them!... This was how my Mandarin gradually improved.”

He also cited the example of The Straits Times journalist Alyssa Woo, who shared in an article that she wanted her children to learn Mandarin despite her own limited fluency. She immersed herself in the language by watching Mandarin programmes and listening to Mandarin songs daily. After three months, her Mandarin improved and her children became more interested in the language.

PM Wong said there must also be a supportive social environment where mother tongues are used in everyday life

Local media, cultural groups and artists are creating engaging Mandarin content, he noted. Young Singaporeans also have access to Mandarin films, dramas, music and games from abroad.

“Singaporeans embrace diverse cultures, while continuing to preserve and celebrate our own,” he said. “We remain open to learning from the richness of cultures around the world.”

Watch PM Wong’s National Day Rally speech here: