Long before the building was known as National Gallery Singapore, it was a centre of government. Now, the new long-term exhibition City Hall: If Walls Could Talk revives the building’s storied past and opens a multimedia window into pivotal moments from history.
The City Hall: If Walls Could Talk exhibition is designed to provide both context and a backdrop to the artworks at National Gallery Singapore. It serves as a bridge between history, art and ideas – many of which centre around the City Hall building.
Inside City Hall Chambers
A historically significant location, the City Hall Chambers was where the Japanese surrender took place and where Singapore’s first cabinet was sworn in upon full self-government in 1959.
Now, visitors to City Hall: If Walls Could Talk exhibition within the Chambers will be able to go on a multimedia journey through time through interactive panels.
Guided by “Encik Awang”, a character inspired by a real-life caretaker, visitors will be able to relive historical events such as the building’s completion and the introduction of the Majulah Singapura and Singapore flag for the first time.
This will provide visitors with a better perspective of the building’s journey from Municipal Building to National Gallery Singapore.
The Social Wall
From the City Hall Chamber, head over to the Social Wall – a series of 12 interactive screen where visitors can get an understanding of the social context of historical events and find out how it relates to artworks found at National Gallery Singapore’s DBS Singapore Gallery.
The Social Wall is presented in terms of thematic journeys which feature high-quality images of artworks from the National Collection. Themes include Portraits of Lives, Architecture and Stories, Conflicts and Concerns, War and Adversity, Places and Inspirations, and Changing Landscapes.
City Hall: If Walls Could Talk opens to the public from 1 September 2019 and will be on display for two years. General admission applies to the exhibition.
City Hall: If Walls Could Talk
When: From 1 September 2019 onwards
General admission
