Museums of History
Posted on April 19, 2009 - Filed Under Arts & Culture, Travel
There are many museums and tourist attractions to visit in Singapore. Many buildings and a large amount of architectural structures date back to the colonial time period, including some of the finest luxury Singapore business hotels. And while many of them remain in use as they were intended at the time they were built, may are now being converted. A few of them are being redesigned as museums.
One of these is the Museum of Asian Civilization. The tours bring to the visitors the history of the belief systems of China, an introduction to the symbolism represented in much of the art work and mythology and the rituals of the society , and the traditions of some of China’s top scholars. This museum focuses not only on the past but on the present as well. And an important element of the culture are the economical accomplishments and the sociopolitical developments over time. There are many artifacts housed in the museum, such as porcelain dishware used by the imperial and royal families, furniture, various objects of the Buddhist monks, and many others dating back more than 7000 years in history. These artifacts and the tours provide insight into not only the history of China but of all Southeast Asia’s cultures, including those from the world of Islam and India as well.
The Changi Prison was originally built to be used as a civilian prison, however during World War II, it was used as a POW camp, housing Australian and American soldiers. This site has now been converted into a museum. Photographs, sketches and paintings illustrate life inside the walls during that time. Various artifacts remain and the chapel, originally built by the Australians, has been reconstructed and replicated, complete with the murals that were painted by a British pilot. It serves as a tribute to those who lived and died behind these fences. These museums not only display the artifacts and objects, but they educate those who visit throughout the years, on the times of the past and how those times affect the present and will continue to affect the future.
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