Getting There

Date	Event & Description
11 Feb 1999 to 31 Dec 2002	Heritage Exhibition View this splendid display of the vibrant multi-ethnic cultures of Singapore. Visitors can gain insights into the lifestyles of the four ethnic groups by trying their hands on the traditional instruments, ethnic costumes and even walk on a five-footway (corridor) of a traditional shop-house, all within one gallery. Daily utilitarian items from yesteryears are also on display. The museum is open from 9am to 6pm, Tuesdays through Sundays.
20 Mar 1999 to 31 Dec 2002	Imaging Selves This exhibition inaugurates the Singapore Art Museum's Permanent Collection Exhibition Programme. Five galleries are dedicated to the display of the museum's fine collection of Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art. Featuring up to 100 works of art, Imaging Selves takes a look at the construction and representation of identity and self through the genre of portraiture.
7 Dec 2000 to 31 Dec 2002	The Pera nakan Legacy This exhibition showcases the unique material heritage of the Peranakan or "local-born" Chinese in Singapore, Malaysia and the Indonesian Archipelago. Visitors will find dedicated displays on the textile, beadwork, silverwork, porcelain, betel-chewing and jewellery traditions of the Peranakan. Highlights include an exquisite silver and porcelain pieces from the holdings of the Mariette Collection; a major private collection of Peranakan art.
19 Aug 2002 to 16 Sep 2002	Festival of the Hungry Ghosts Dates to be confirmed. "Hell gates" are opened and spirits wander the earth on the 7th moon of the lunar month. Taoists believe that the spirits of the dead roam freely on earth during the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts and the superstitious avoid keeping late nights in case they meet a ghostly encounter. On the first day of the month, "hell currency notes" (fake money), joss-sticks, candles and plenty of cakes and fruits are offered to straying souls to prevent them from creating havoc on earth. This offering is repeated on the final day to speed the ghosts' return to hell. Throughout the month, street banquets and "wayangs" (Chinese street operas) are held to entertain and appease homeless spirits. Public auctions of auspicious items are conducted boisterously amidst the dinner courses while a "ge tai" (mini pop concert) entertains some 50 feet away.
30 Aug 2002 to 1 Sep 2002	WOMAD Singapore 2002 WOMAD Singapore 2002 will feature yet another exhilarating line-up of world musicians and artistes from various parts of the continents. Mind ans spirit aside, you can whet your appetite at the F & B Global Village. Take part also in the exciting collection of music and dance workshops and masterclasses available for adults and children. For more information, call (65)7345910.
1 Sep 2002 to 16 Nov 2002	for Art's sake! For three months, you'll be swarmed with doses of arts of every imaginable kind from all around the island. Take a stroll in Singapore Botanic Gardens and be entertained by various arts groups. Catch a hilarious drama in the theatre or immerse yourself in a variety of India, Mexican or Chinese festivities. For those with a penchant for rare paintings, join in the bid at an auction. So be prepared for a host of local and international arts and cultural events for the whole season.
7 Sep 2002 to 15 Sep 2002	Festival Mexicano 2002 Already in it's 9th version, Festival Mexicano once again will be presenting an exciting cultural programme set to tantalise your senses with authentic Mexican music, dance, food, film and art.
14 Sep 2002 to 21 Sep 2002	Mid-Autumn Festival 2002 There is a tremendous burst of colour and excitement as Singapore celebrates one of the most important occasions of the Chinese Lunar calendar in September, called 'Zhong Qiu Jie', which means the Mid-Autumn Festival. There is also a multitude of activities to celebrate the festival in the ethnic district of Chinatown,heartlands of Albert Mall, fashionable Orchard Road and on the tranquil waters of the Singapore River
21 Sep 2002	Mooncake Festival Mooncake Festival or "Zhong Qiu Jie" which means Mid-Autumn Festival, falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. Many elderly Chinese still believe that the legendary Chang 'Er and her pet rabbit reside on the moon and if one looks closely, one might just catch a glimpse of them. In ancient China, the Mooncake Festival was a celebration of a bountiful harvest in mid-autumn and folklore tells of how the Chinese sent secret messages placed in mooncakes to help overthrow the tyrannical Yuan Dynasty in the 14th century. Today, this is a time for feasting and rejoicing. While the adults spend a lazy evening enjoying mooncakes and Chinese tea under the bright moonlight, children squeal in delight as they troop around to show off their lanterns. All over Chinatown and the heartlands, stalls offer pomelos (a local citrus fruit), pastries and other festive fare. You can savour a wide variety of freshly-baked mooncakes filled with lotus paste, melon seeds, red bean paste, nuts, yam and preserved duck's eggs.
22 Sep 2002	Birthday of the Monkey God In this fascinating celebration, one can't help but wonder if the mischievous Monkey God has descended on earth. In a dramatic and loud procession, entranced mediums slash themselves with blades while leading in front, a sedan chair carried shoulder high by devotees rocks and jerks in all directions as if possessed by the Monkey God. Temple etiquette requires visitors to be dressed appropriately.