The newly revamped Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) will welcome the public again on 25 April 2026, showcasing updated galleries, newly commissioned artworks, and a nine-day Reopening Festival centered around a fresh narrative, Dari Rantau Ke Rumah (From the Region to Home). This narrative traces the evolution of Malay identities in Singapore and examines how the Singaporean Malay community’s connections to both a multicultural society and the wider Malay world have shaped its unique identity.
The reopening marks a significant milestone in MHC’s ongoing commitment to celebrating the richness and diversity of the Malay world. It invites visitors from all walks of life to step into the revamped Centre to reflect on the cultural inheritance of the Malay community here, and the future of the Malay identity in Singapore. MHC’s relaunch follows recent announcements on the expansion of MHC’s role and capabilities, to strengthen its role as a cultural anchor within Kampong Gelam and enhance its position as a centre for Malay heritage in Singapore. These include enhancing placemaking efforts in the precinct, of which the Reopening Festival is the first step towards doing so.
Dr Norshahril Saat, Chairman of the Malay Heritage Foundation, said, “MHC has continually strived to present Malay heritage in ways that feel relevant and resonant to contemporary audiences. This revamp is the culmination of years of hard work, enriched by invaluable community input and contributions, to ensure that the stories told honour the depth, diversity and dynamic nature of Malay cultural heritage. With MHC’s expanded role and mandate, the Centre is well-placed to serve as a nexus for the Malay community in Singapore, and a cultural anchor for the Kampong Gelam precinct. As we embark on this new chapter, we look forward to welcoming one and all to visit, partner and collaborate with us.”
An immersive journey through six thematic spaces
Visitors can explore the evolution of Malay communities through MHC’s six permanent galleries. It will feature 279 artefacts, with a quarter loaned by the community. Through a journey across time from 19th-century Singapore to imagining the possibilities of the future, visitors are encouraged to contemplate on what it means to be Malay in Singapore and how this identity continues to evolve with time. The six gallery themes are:
● Gallery 1: “We are Playing Relatives!” explores the theme of kinship formation in Singapore and Riau-Lingga; ● Gallery 2: An Era of Changing Kings examines the complex face of the Malay peninsula and Singapore in the early 20th century; ● Gallery 3: Journeying to Settling explores the cultural rite of passage of migration; ● Gallery 4: City of Dreams: Making A Mark explores the changing visibility and roles of Malay women in the 1950s and 1960s; ● Gallery 5: Our Living Heritage explores how Malay traditions, memories, and values are passed down, adapted, and sustained within families and in everyday life; and ● Gallery 6: We+ Heritage encourages visitors to consider the future of the Malay identity in Singapore.
The refreshed galleries highlight the rich tapestry of Malay heritage with broadened representation across Malay sub-ethnic groups through material culture, language and writing systems. Visitors can encounter the diversity of Malay heritage, including the Javanese, Baweanese, Bugis, Banjar, Minangkabau, and Orang Pulau communities.
The refreshed experience also introduces a wider cast of Perintis (pioneers), both familiar and newly featured. Their contributions and legacies are showcased with new perspectives, shedding light on lesser-known facets of their lives. Zubir Said’s mentorship of younger musicians after composing Majulah Singapura, and Yusof Ishak’s role as co-founder of Utusan Melayu in 1939 — a key platform for socio-political discourse that trained figures like journalists and editors before his presidency — these stories offer a more nuanced look and understanding of how individuals have shaped the community and nation.
The refreshed content also places a stronger spotlight on Malay women, recognising their contributions to education, literature, and the arts, as well as the challenges they faced in forging their own paths. Visitors can learn more about figures such as the first known woman pilgrim broker Hajah Maimunah, the first Malay woman radio announcer Zahrah Za’ba, and cultural innovators like Nona Asiah and Siti Radhiah, whose stories offer inspiring insights into resilience, creativity, and leadership.
Threading through the galleries are the Corridors of Cultural Memories, which offer intimate glimpses into the Malay community’s living heritage: everyday life, traditions, and shared histories. For the first time, newly commissioned works by local Malay artists are woven into the spaces, adding contemporary interpretations that extend the narrative, and present heritage through a fresh lens. More information on the artworks can be found here.
MHC Reopening Festival: Pesta Pecah Panggung — Transcending Boundaries
To commemorate this milestone, MHC will be presenting a Reopening Festival titled Pesta Pecah Panggung — Transcending Boundaries. From 25 April to 3 May 2026, the festival will bring to life the narratives of the galleries by highlighting the richness of Malay heritage in Singapore and its deep connections across the region.
The festival will be split into two thematic weekends that parallel MHC’s new narrative, From the Region to Home. The first, themed “Exploring the Malay World”, will showcase the diversity and shared heritage of the Malay world, while the second is themed “A Home for Our Community” and unpacks what it means to be Malay in Singapore. With over 50 programmes lined up by more than 60 partners, visitors can look forward to performances, installations, workshops, and community programmes running from day to night. More details on the programmes can be found here, and interested members of the public can register for programmes here. Highlights include:
● Pecah Panggung Parade that features over 300 community partners who will present themed pushcarts and cultural performances for all to get into the festive spirit; ● Kota Impian: Modern Women which spotlights Singapore’s pioneering Malay women in a musical-theatre production, produced and performed by an all-female ensemble; ● Wajah & Bayang: Nusantara Arts Showcase, a special showcase curated by the MHC team, will bring together a diverse mix of music genres and art forms across the region, featuring performers from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore; and ● Santai Sampai Pagi: A Night Out at MHC, the Centre’s first-ever overnight event reminiscent of a slumber party. Visitors can look forward to film screenings, dance workshops, karaoke, a pyjama contest, and more exciting activities.
Hafiz Shariff, General Manager, MHC, said, “We have thoughtfully curated our Reopening Festival programming to reflect the renewed narrative of our galleries, creating pathways for visitors to deepen their understanding of Singapore’s Malay heritage and its connections to the broader Malay world. As a cultural institution within the Kampong Gelam precinct, MHC is committed to active placemaking – working in close partnership with community stakeholders to further enliven the precinct. The Reopening Festival represents the first major initiative in this vision, with programming that will transcend MHC’s walls and into the precinct: from a “big bang” parade with more than 300 participants at Bussorah Street, to community artworks and performances at Sultan Gate Park, thematic guided tours of the Kampong Gelam precinct, and more.”
Visiting the Malay Heritage Centre – Free Admission to Galleries
In conjunction with MHC’s reopening, all visitors (including tourists) can enjoy free admission to the galleries from 25 April to 28 June 20261. After this period, Singaporeans and Permanent Residents can continue to enjoy free admission to MHC’s galleries year-round. Members of the public can find more information on MHC’s galleries and festival programming at www.malayheritage.gov.sg, and stay updated through MHC’s Facebook and Instagram (@malayheritage).
Images credit to Malay Heritage Centre
