Want your kids to appreciate our current convenient, cosy and comfortable living conditions? Bring them to the Chinatown Heritage Centre. They will agree that we are living significantly better lives now.
Chinatown Heritage Centre
The Chinatown Heritage Centre was refurbished three years ago.
We bought the basic tickets that came along with the marvellous multimedia guide (MMG) that brought us into the lives of Singapore’s early pioneers. The MMG is a fantastic storyteller that vividly narrates the stories of each individual living in an overcrowded shophouse in Chinatown in the 1950s.
The shophouse is created based on memories of our early pioneers, and we were in awe of the tiny details recorded in every room.
We fell in love with this place. The kids were totally absorbed by the storytelling and searched for many of the items mentioned by the MMG. We spent at least 2 hours in the centre and learned so much from the place. Many of the valuable details are probably not available in our History / Social Studies textbooks. Scroll down, and you will know why.
Level 1 and 2 – 1950s Chinatown
The tailor’s room
The shophouse was owned by a tailor who ran his business in the shopfront. The sewing machine and the materials used in the tailor shop fondly reminded me of those days when my mum did a lot of sewing work at home. The brown papers used for drawing drafts, the marking crayons, gigantic scissors for cutting cloth, etc. Her ancient sewing machine is still in use today and she is toying with the idea of passing it down to me.
His family occupied a room on the first floor. His older kids slept on the floor while the younger ones shared the bed with their parents. They rented the rest of the rooms to other families, labourers and street hawkers for the sake of better earnings.
The brown camera on the dresser hints they were relatively well-off. Not many in those days could own a camera and print out their photos!
Since the tailor’s family was the landlord, they had the entire kitchen and toilet on the first floor to themselves.
My kids were appalled to see the condition of the kitchen, toilet and bathroom. It was primitive to them, no electric appliances, nor even lights and heater. And what was with the toilet bowl? Where is the flushing system? It must have been so unbearably smelling.
The MGM explained in details the items in the kitchen on the first floor, the bowls of oil where the legs of the food cupboard stood on to prevent pests attacking their food, etc.
Living Quarters for the rest
Many other pioneers lived in this overcrowded shophouse. The tailor’s apprentices, some who had to sleep along the corridors; the trishaw rider; samsui women; the hawker who prepared her food for peddling in the same room where her family slept; the carpenter; the clog maker, the family of eight, a group of majie, and the physician family.
Save for the trishaw rider who had a permanent bed, the rest had to take turns to sleep on the bed. Many had shift work and returned to their rooms to rest on the floor.
Everyone mentioned above shared a kitchen on the second floor that had a toilet and a bathroom right beside the cooking area. Imagine queuing up for shower in the evening after work while the others cooked.
Each family had its stove in the shared kitchen. However, there was no food cabinet because the residents kept all ingredients in their rooms.
The family of eight ingeniously hung their food cupboard up in the air while the mouse relentlessly attempted to hijack the hanging cabinet.
Want to have a glimpse of the other room? Visit the Chinatown Heritage Centre to immerse yourself in the humble history of Chinatown.
Third level onwards
The Journey of Singapore’s Early Pioneers to Singapore
Do you know why Singapore’s early pioneers made their way to Singapore? Famine, floods and unrest drove them here. Desperate for survival, they risked their life and all of their meagre savings to come to Singapore, hoping to earn a living and give their loved ones in China a better life.
The journey from China to Singapore was precarious. The conditions on the vessels were often unfit for anyone to stay for long. Some fell terribly sick and were thrown into the sea for fear of spreading contagious diseases to the others.
Explore the Heart of the City
Chinatown was once known as Chinatown that never sleeps.
By day, Chinatown was filled with industrious activities and in the night, transformed into an exciting entertainment hub – with night markets, opera performances, etc.
Unfortunately, many also fell into the traps of many vices, such as gambling, opium smoking, prostitution and secret societies.
The Dynamic Transformation of Chinatown
My kids spent some time here, studying the various before-and-present photos of Chinatown. The 3D map is very engaging too. It showcases the present buildings located in Chinatown and CDB, while the wooden booklet on the tabletop reveals the former structures which had to make way for the new ones.
My Verdict
This intriguing museum is a must-go, especially if you have tweens or teens. They will surely gain more insight of early Singapore and hopefully, have a better appreciation of their modern comfortable lives.
Admission Charges
The tickets are at $18 per adult and $14 per child. Children below seven and seniors enter for free with every paying visitor. While the fees look hefty, I dare to say it is worth the price, in comparison to some other expensive museums we have been.
For some cost savings, book your adult tickets from Klook instead.
Klook.comGoing There
Going to Chinatown Heritage Centre is real easy by MRT. From Chinatown MRT Exit A, walk straight for a couple of minutes, and the centre is on your left.
Address: 48 Pagoda Street Singapore
Opening Hours: 9.30am – 6.30pm (daily)
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