National Gallery Singapore

The National Gallery Singapore is a public institution and national museum dedicated to art and culture, located in the Civic District of Singapore. It holds the world's largest public collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art, comprising more than 8,000 works. The Gallery occupies two national monuments, the former Supreme Court Building and former City Hall, with a combined floor area of 64,000 square metres, making it the largest visual arts venue and largest museum in Singapore. Its mission centres on fostering understanding and appreciation of art and culture, with particular attention to Singapore's heritage and its relationship with other Asian cultures and the world.

The idea for the National Gallery Singapore was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 21 August 2005 during his National Day Rally speech, when he outlined the government's plan to convert the former Supreme Court building and City Hall into a new national gallery. On 2 September 2006, Dr. Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, officially announced the establishment of the National Gallery Singapore during the Singapore Biennale 2006 at the National Museum of Singapore. The then-Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts implemented a stakeholder consultation process, overseen by a steering committee initially chaired by Dr. Balaji Sadasivan, with support from an executive committee and four advisory groups covering museology, architectural conservation, finance, and communications. On 23 February 2007, MICA and the Singapore Institute of Architects launched a two-stage architectural design competition that drew 111 entries from 29 countries. Five firms were shortlisted in May 2007, with three advancing after the second stage: Studio Milou Architecture from France, Ho + Hou Architects from Taiwan, and Chan Sau Yan Associates from Singapore. In May 2008, Studio Milou Singapore in partnership with CPG Consultants was appointed to design and build the Gallery. Construction on the monuments began in January 2011, and the museum opened to the public on 24 November 2015. The total development cost was approximately S$532 million.

The National Gallery Singapore oversees Singaporean and regional art of the Eastern world, specifically of Southeast Asia. Its collection spans modern and contemporary art, with a focus on Singaporean and Southeast Asian art from the 19th century to the present day. The collection traces the development of cultures in Singapore and the region, narrating the story of their social, economic, and political evolution. The institution's programming aims to provide understanding and appreciation of art and culture through a variety of media. The Gallery houses two permanent galleries: the DBS Singapore Gallery and the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery.

While specific individual masterpieces are not detailed in the available sources, the National Gallery Singapore's collection of more than 8,000 works constitutes the world's largest public holding of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art. This corpus provides the institutional foundation for the Gallery's preeminence in the field.

The National Gallery Singapore consists of two adjacent national monuments: the former Supreme Court Building and the former City Hall. The architectural design by Studio Milou Architecture, in partnership with CPG Consultants, features a linear draped canopy supported by tree-like columns linking the two buildings at roof level. The design incorporates an extended staircase connecting the basement to upper levels and utilises solar energy for electricity. Fine metal mesh covers most of City Hall. Because both structures are national monuments, certain elements could not be altered, including the facades, the Surrender Chamber, the office of Singapore's founding Prime Minister, and the panelling in four rooms of the Supreme Court. However, the design allowed for additions such as roof and basement floors.