This mobile exhibit from the National Museum of Singapore aims to bring museum learning to secondary schools. It will feature replicas, photos and videos from the museum's collection to tell the stories of average Singaporeans from the 1950s to 1980s. The exhibit is designed like other mobile museums and will spend one week in schools, especially those unable to visit the physical museum. Programming and digital technology are used to engage students and bridge generations by exploring daily life in Singapore as it developed from a post-war nation.

1. OUR GRANDPARENTS’ DAYS:
A TRAVELLING MOBILE EXHIBIT
(SINGAPORE 1950S-1980S)
AP6106 SPACES OF THE CURATORIAL
CURATORIAL PROJECT FINAL PRESENTATION (Week 12)
Cheng Shao Meng (Merlin)
G1900547H
Poster of Singapore from Pan American Artist,
1950s, National Museum of Singapore
https://www.roots.sg/learn/collections/listing/1260028

2. EXHIBITION SYNOPSIS
OUR GRANDPARENTS’ DAYS:
A TRAVELLING MOBILE EXHIBIT
(SINGAPORE 1950S-1980S)
Our Grandparents’ Days: A Travelling Mobile Exhibit seeks to explore
Singapore’s post-war period from 1950s to 1980s, giving an overview on the
average Singaporeans daily lives under the backdrop of a developing nation.
It will feature a selection of artefacts; replica works and new media to tell their
stories. This is planned as a part of the education and outreach programme for
the National Museum of Singapore (NMS).
Targeted at secondary school students, this exhibition will bring the museum to the public space in an
education setting. With an emphasis on teaching Singapore history and social studies, it will primarily travel to
different public secondary schools, as well as other public locations such as community centres in the future.
Kopitiam cup and saucer with dark green 'bunga raya' (hibiscus) motif,
1960s, National Museum of Singapore
https://www.roots.sg/learn/collections/listing/1138991

3. MOBILE MUSEUM BACKGROUND
Mobile Museum vehicle.
https://www.idea.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Screen-shot-2011-04-27-at-1.08.07-PM.png

4. MOBILE MUSEUM BACKGROUND
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
https://nhm.org/educational-resources/mobile-museums
MICRO Smallest Mollusk Museum. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-
science/wp/2017/11/28/the-creators-of-the-worlds-smallest-mollusk-museum-have-giant-ambitions/

5. MOBILE MUSEUM BACKGROUND
SAM Mini Mobile Museum.
https://www.facebook.com/singaporeartmuseum/posts/we-have-
brought-contemporary-art-out-of-the-galleries-and-into-the-
heartlands-wi/2652438754772211/
Emporium of the East, Singapore Bicentennial Experience 2019.
https://www.bicentennial.sg/the-bicentennial-experience/

6. EXHIBITION CONCEPT
 Food and Grocery
 Childhood and Entertainment
 Work and Security
Key Themes
 Using an interactive installation
 Programming to bridge the old and new generations
 Combined with use of an app (Text, AR, QR, audio
guide, oral history, photos and videos)
 Teacher’s resource will be available
Main Concept
• The goal is to use these artefacts as an entry point to talk about
the different aspect of Singaporean’s life amidst the rapid
development of post-war Singapore
Roadside hawker selling snacks and cards, c.1950s.
https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-
details/b316bae2-1162-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad

7. EXHIBITION CONCEPT

8. EXHIBITION CONCEPT

9. EXHIBITION CONCEPT

10. EXHIBITION CONCEPT

11. EXHIBITION CONCEPT
1963 - Two boys looking at one of the television sets placed at the victoria
theatre during the opening of television singapura. there were 17 other sets of
television outside the hall and along princess elizabeth walk where thousands
gathered to watch.
https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/a111118c-1162-11e3-83d5-
0050568939ad
Example related photo:Example entry: Orange Teleton Television

12. FEASIBILITY AND REASONING
 For secondary schools:
 National Heritage Badge (NHB)
 Museum-based Learning Programme (NMS)
 Historical Investigation Programme (NMS)
 Complementary to existing programmes
 Fills a void for schools that cannot travel to physical museum
 Rise of e-learning and digital literacy, more use of technology
integrated into secondary school education
 All sec students will have personal digital device by 2028
NHB and NMS Programmes
National Heritage Board.
https://www.nhb.gov.sg/what-we-do/our-work/community-engagement/education/heritage-
education-programmes/secondary-and-tertiary/heritage-badge-for-uniformed-groups
NMS Historical Investigation.
https://www.nhb.gov.sg/nationalmuseum/shared-
content/exploremuseumtopmenu/school-programmes-top-menu/secondary

13. FEASIBILITY AND REASONING
Why this Exhibition now?
 Rise awareness of rapid changes and development of
Singapore
 Allow students to see how things came to be and how
different things were and not take things for granted
 Active approach to learning Singapore’s culture and
history than from textbook
 Showcase how modern exhibition planning and digital
technology can work together in education, a key theme in
Singapore’s goal to become a Smart Nation
Something simple as a phone changes the way we live and interact with each other.
Coinafon (top) - https://www.roots.sg/learn/collections/listing/1353374
Smartphones (bottom) - https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/smartphone-composite-getty-
images-Neil-Godwin.jpg?w=730&crop=1

14. SET-UP, LOCATION AND DATE
 Require about 1 to 2 days to transport and setup
 Inside the school, and depending on the layout, it could be in the
foyer, in the hall or in an unused classroom
 The exhibition is planned to take place in July and August (and
beyond) to coincide with Racial Harmony Day (21 July) and
National Day (9 Aug)
 Each exhibition will stay in school for about a week
 Recommended to have 2 or 3 sets of these installations
happening at any one time
 Priority will be given to schools that does not have an ongoing
museum programme with the NMS
Facebook screengrab/ Lee Hsien Loong
http://theindependent.sg/pm-lee-and-dpm-heng-urge-singaporeans-to-value-hard-
won-peace-on-racial-harmony-day/
Cedar Girls’ Secondary School National Day 2016
https://events.myactivesg.com/getactive2019/aep/successful-active-enablers

15. EXHIBITION DESIGN AND LOGISTICS
 Basic layout consist mainly of 3
installation booths
 Both should be spaced apart, with
enough space on all sides
 All replicas will be inside the casing,
with some outside for students to
touch
 Logistics requirements would include
a company that builds custom
installation, 3D printing and regular
printing company, multimedia
installation

16. POTENTIAL PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVITIES
 Guest AR, VR and multimedia artists could be invited to
showcase their work in respond to the exhibition
 Curator’s or docent’s mini tour Talks / Presentations by
museum staffs on how stories are told through objects
 Film screening of NTU History/ADM students work on
Singapore’s history and heritage
 Work with schools to have booths with traditional games
and activities of yesteryear
 Inviting elders (could be school or museum staffs, or invited
guests) to share stories and photos of their time as a youth
and how it is different from today’s youth
 Integrate the existing National Heritage Badge and
Historical Investigation programme into this exhibition
Students learning and playing traditional games during Racial Harmony
Day. https://www.schoolbag.sg/story/harmony-in-our-hands
Secondary School. assembly https://charlesstitchwong.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/08/IMG_7360-1024x576.jpg

17. FEATURED WORKS AND ARTEFACTS
Kopitiam cup and saucer with dark green 'bunga
raya' (hibiscus) motif
1960s
Food and Grocery
Tin tray with Dragon & Phoenix Best Tea Tea Dust
advertisement
1960s
Ovaltine tin container with lid (left)
1940s-1970s
Group of NAW bottle caps (5)
1950s-1970s
Porcelain ‘laksa’ bowls
1970s
Orange plastic bowl from a picnic set
1970s
‘Ice-Kacang’ machine
1950s-1970s
Cold Storage paper bag
c. 1960s
Cap Talipon matchbox
1940s-1970s
Three Legs brand cough syrup
1950s-1990s

18. FEATURED WORKS AND ARTEFACTS
Inter class Championships for Basketball Trophy
1971
Childhood and Entertainment
Paper box packaging for number and picture card
game for children
Mid-20th century
Lesney Matchbox Superfast No. 21
1978
Group of Tomy pocket games
1970s
Nam Shing & Company Box featuring Siang-Bo
1960s-70s
Fuji VHS video cassette tape
1970-1984
Orange Teleton television
1960s
Gramophone with vinyl records
1950s-1960s
Rediffusion set
1950s
National Panasonic cassette player with tape
1980s

19. FEATURED WORKS AND ARTEFACTS
Poster of Singapore from Pan American Artist
1950s
Job and Security
A Chettiar moneylender’s tin box containing
postal stationery and assorted items
1950s-1960s
Paymaster cheque machine
1950s-1980s
Apple-shaped coin box affixed with
POSBank sticker
1970s-1980s
Correction Fluid
1970-1984
Coinafon – Orange Public Phone
1980s
Police baton
1950s
Police turret bell
1960s

20. SUMMARY
OUR GRANDPARENTS’ DAYS:
A TRAVELLING MOBILE EXHIBIT
(SINGAPORE 1950S-1980S)
Education and outreach
programme for the National
Museum of Singapore
Brings museum-learning to
schools, especially for schools
that are unable to travel to the
physical museum
Adapted from various
mobile museums in
Singapore and overseas
Targeted at secondary
school students
Feature works and artefacts (in
the form of replicas, photos and
videos) from the NMS Folklife
Collection
Will take place in July
and August, 1 week
per school
Tell the tales of the
average Singaporeans
from 1950s to 1980s
Attempts to bridge the
young and old generation
Digital Technology aims to attracts while
programming and activities drive the
message across