Miss going to museums? Now that arts institutions and spaces are up and running, there’s really no reason not to check out the exhibitions that have opened. But if you’re looking for entertainment beyond Netflix (yet are too lazy to step out the door), here’s a round-up of some events by the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
Virtual Lunchtime Concerts
When: Fridays, 16, 23 & 30 October; 6 & 13 November 2020
Where: Online at the ACM Facebook page
One of ACM’s most popular programmes, ACM’s Lunchtime Concerts take on new virtual forms. You can now tune into the livestream of the riveting music by the talented students and faculty of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST).
If you’re bored from the monotony of working from home, consider catching a breather by checking out these livestreams every Friday at 12.30pm, from 2 October to 13 November on the ACM’s Facebook page.
This season’s concerts feature collaborations with YST faculty members Karst de
Jong, Chen Zhangyi, Tony Makarome, and Syafiqah ’Adha Sallehin, and are brought to you by the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.
#UnderstandEverything From Home
Join Director of ACM, Kennie Ting as he takes you through selected masterpieces in the museum’s collection.
When: Anytime
Where: Online at the ACM Facebook page or on the Roots webpage
One silver lining of the pandemic is that it has encouraged museums to digitise their collections and provide ways of accessing it virtually if they hadn’t already been doing so. But did you know that the ACM has long been producing video content of choice pieces in its collection?
In this series of videos, Kennie Ting, Director of the ACM takes you through the rich histories of civilisations such as Canton and Gandhara as they are reflected through objects in the ACM collection. Examine how the Mounted Incense Burner reflects the hybrid maritime identity of Singapore, or how the ‘hong bowl’ reveals major events in Canton’s history as a major trading port back in the day.
Each video is a bite-sized morsel of information on the topic at hand, and there is perhaps no better guide through the collection than the Director himself.
ACM After Dark: Heroes and Villains
When: Saturday, 31 October 2020
Where: Free and ticketed programmes available online on the ACM Website
Okay, so maybe going trick-or-treating around the neighbourhood is not the best idea this year. Consider celebrating Halloween indoors on a virtual trail around the ACM galleries, where heroes and villains alike assemble to share the secrets and mysteries of ancient Asian civilisations with you.
As the ACM After Dark programme goes online, expect a variety of virtual events, including video crafts tutorials to ring in this spooky holiday.
For more information about these programmes, check out the Asian Civilisations Museum website.
Visuals courtesy of Asian Civilisations Museum.
