PUBLISHED ONAugust 23, 2026 11:56 AMBYSean LerSingapore will establish the Singapore Chinese Heritage Gallery to honour its Chinese pioneers and pay tribute to the Chinese community organisations that helped build the nation's multicultural society.
Announcing this in his Mandarin speech at the 2026 National Day Rally held at ITE College Central on Sunday (Aug 23), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that beyond the food and sights, the wisdom of Singapore's pioneers, forged with people of different races, underpins the peace and prosperity today.
The gallery will trace how the nation's Chinese pioneers put down roots and built lives here, he said.
It will also pay tribute to the Chinese community organisations that helped build the Republic's multicultural society.
The gallery, proposed by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC), is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, the National Heritage Board, and the Chinese community.
It will be housed in the Singapore Conference Hall and managed by SCCC.
In a news release after PM Wong's Mandarin speech, SCCC said it is important for Singapore to comprehensively document the histories of different communities even as the country evolves.
"(This is) so that future generations can better understand how these communities have collectively shaped our nation," it explained.
The gallery, scheduled to open in 2031, will focus on six themes following the timeline of Singapore's development from pre-14th Century to the present day:
Ng Siew Quan, chairman of SCCC, said he hopes the gallery will showcase Singapore Chinese identity and culture as rooted in a multicultural society, while strengthening the sense of belonging among Chinese Singaporeans — local and new.
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