Friday 19 June 2015

Frugal Friday #5 - Paranakan Museum

Introducing our adventure into the Peranakan Museum! Upon letting Js know our agenda, we had an extremely hard time explaining what a Peranakan is. It's not like an object or an expression that they can easily comprehend. We spared no effect explaining though.

The word Peranakan means 'descendant' or 'child of'. Used to refer to people of mixed ethnic origins. Chinese peranakans are the majority, but there are also peranakan of other ethnicities. During ancient times, travellers stayed and put down roots over the Southeast Asia crossroads. They married local women and their descendants are called Peranakans.

Our Peranakan Musuem showcases the finest and richest collection of Peranakan art and objects. Very much exhibited to our local history. We were very wow-ed when we entered the Museum. It was elegantly built on the outside and inside. Standing glam with 3 levels of 9 galleries. Extremely impressed too, with how well-kept the place is. 

Beautiful building

Level 1
Learn about its origins and perceive a better understanding and history of who they are. There is also a short video playing repeatedly, about its origin.


watching the video attentively

Level 2
Explore the traditional Peranakan wedding and take a peek into their wedding chamber, which is very much skewed towards the olden days of a Chinese bedroom chamber. A wedding celebration of 12 days is most definitely interesting and exciting to know about.

Wedding chamber

Level 3
Enter further into their language and fashion influenced by life in Southeast Asia. Pick up the nostalgic phones to listen to the recordings of Peranakans' conversations from the oldest days to 1975. You would notice, as the years progress, the Malay language diluted much to be fully conversed in English. It was interesting to hear them out.

Spot the 'Now' and the 'Then'

Learn also about their religions, public life, food and feasting! I love Peranakan food. So much so that we ended our night with a Peranakan feast after that visit. We saw too, the very beautiful and colourful nyonyaware porcelain used to serve their delicious dishes. 

In one of its gallery (gallery 7), do note it's where they display death rituals and mourning with funeral setting. Avoid entering if you don't feel comfy. It did get a little spooky for me, but Js were fine.

We also spotted various contributions from Mr Lee Kuan Yew's family to the museum. Mr and Mrs Lee's barrister wigs were on display for public viewing. There's was also a display of cheongsum worn by Mrs Lee during Mr Lee Hsein Loong's appointment ceremony as our Prime Minister. Yes, they are a family of Peranakans. 

You would realised too, many local streets were named after a couple of remarkable peranakans from the past.

Rich exhibits within

It was overall a very good experience and learning journey for us. Remember to register and get an activity sheet at the reception when you enter. This activity sheet is gonna keep your little ones looking forward to the different galleries, to collect 8 auspicious symbols embossments.

Making themselves really comfortable

I also love how the Museum created some interactions by casing up selected displays for us to touch and feel.

Stop and touch, please

Enter into the world of Peranakans soon! The best time to visit would probably be the second Sunday of each month, which they call it Straits Family Sunday. A family event of different theme every month, to keep you and your family well engaged. Don on too, batik shirt and sarong kebaya for a Peranakan moment.

3 months theme schedule as follows:
Time: 1pm to 5pm
12 July: Bead by Bead. Find out more about their beaded artworks and create a unique craft inspired by this collection.

09 Aug: Supersized: Majulah Singapura. Join their guided tour and make craft inspired by their collection.

13 Sep: Mythical creatures. Join the guided tour, hunt for mythical creatures and make craft inspired by them.

Peranakan Museum
Address
39 Armenian Street S(179941)
Opening hours
10am to 7pm (Daily)
10am to 9pm (Fridays)

FREE admission to all Singapore citizens and PR (Bring identification along).

And of course, many other exciting FREE activities (Other than Museums) as below:
Date: 06 to 21 June (Except Mondays)
Time: 1pm and 7pm (Tues to Fri), 1pm, 4pm and 7pm (Sat and Sun)
Venue: City Square Mall
Barney, BJ and Baby Bop are back this June school holidays with a super fun retro show featuring your favourite hits with a new twist!

Date: 11 to 23 June (No shows on Wed)
Time: 2:30pm, 5pm and 7pm
Venue: United Square
Redeem meet and greet pass with minimum spending of $50 in single receipt.

3. Catch the Ninja turtles in action 
Dates: 20th, 21st, 27th and 28th June
Time: 4pm and 7pm
Venue: Downtown east
Various locations at 4pm time schedule. 7pm at Event Square Stage. Check link above.
Have a fun-filled weekend!

Dates: 
20 June (X MEN: Days of future past)
27 June (Night at the museum, secret of the tomb)
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: The Star Vista, Star Plaza, B1 
Free admission for all OR shoppers can also redeem a Gold Star ticket (for 2 pax) into the exclusive Gold Star area when they spend a minimum of $150 and enjoy tasty delights.

Date: 20 and 21 June
Time: 10am to 5pm
Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, 12 Tai Gin Road, Singapore 327874
Learn more about Dr Sun Yat Sen and the Chinese culture. In conjuction with dumpling festival, visitors can learn about the festival through a series of games and craft activities.


6. Dumpling Festival at Wan Qing Yuan
Date: 20 June
Time: 10am to 5pm
Venue: Zhongshan Park 
Try your hands at the dumpling making booth, do craft and participate in the "Dragon boat race"!



7.  French Festival, International Music Day
Date: 21 June
Time: 6pm to 7:30pm
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage
The International Music Day is a tradition that started in France and now celebrated all over the world to enable music enjoyment for everyone. SWS City Swing has prepared a repertoire of swing jazz and pop music coming from a wide range of diversities including French, Chinese, American, Indonesian and many others.

8. Superhero Me
Date: Till 30 June
Time: 10am to 7pm
Venue: National Library Building Plaza ( Level 1)
Join Singapore's first costume crafting festival where children craft and star in their very own superhero film. Sign up for the various creative workshops programmes here. Event schedule here.

The second annual Read! Fest is here too. Click on link to find out the activities at various libraries within your nearest heartland.

Have a frugal and fun-filled weekend ahead!

This is part 5 of the Frugal Friday series:
Frugal Friday #1 - SAM
Frugal Friday #2 - SPM
Frugal Friday #3 - Reflections at Bukit Chandu  
Frugal Friday #4 - National Museum


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