Curator (Peranakan Art), ACM-TPM

National Heritage Board

Fixed Terms

Closing on 01 Oct 2025

What the role is

This call is for a Curator position in Peranakan Art at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) and the Peranakan Museum (TPM).

ACM is the only museum in the region devoted to exploring the rich artistic heritage of Asia, especially the ancestral cultures of Singaporeans. Opened in 1997 and in its present building by the Singapore River since 2003, the museum traces its roots to the Raffles Museum, founded in the middle of 19th century. ACM focuses on the many historical and artistic connections between the cultures of Asia, and between Asia and the world. Singapore’s history as a port city that brought people together from all over the world is used as a means of examining the history of Asia. Objects on display tell stories of the trade and the exchange of ideas that were the result of international commerce, as well as the flow of religions and faith through Asia.

TPM is managed by ACM and explores the art and culture of Peranakan communities in Southeast Asia. It possesses one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of Peranakan objects. Galleries on three floors illustrate the culture, life and art of Peranakans.

What you will be working on

Reporting to the senior curator for Southeast Asia and Peranakan Art, you will be part of the curatorial department in ACM-TPM. As Curator, you will research, interpret and make accessible to the public TPM’s collection. You are required to fulfil project management and administrative functions to ensure smooth running of the museum to meet the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) aim of cultivating public awareness of the cultural inheritance of Singaporeans.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Conceptualise and design storylines and themes for permanent galleries and special exhibitions relating to Peranakan art and Asian diaspora studies in Southeast Asia.
Consult and engage with representatives of communities to facilitate dialogue on and interpretation of Peranakan art in our collection.
Work collaboratively with collection managers, conservators, designers, and related parties to set up and project manage exhibitions.
Provide administrative support for curatorial work and manage curatorial projects, including academic conferences and community consultations.
Conceive, develop, and publish exhibition catalogues, scholarly articles, and related works, including via digital formats.
Actively collaborate with all museum departments, including education, programming, marketing, and philanthropy.
Research and maintain expertise in the museum’s collection and act as subject matter expert in responding to queries from internal and external parties.
Work with colleagues to conceptualise and implement interpretive strategies in the permanent galleries, special exhibitions and online content, with the goal of creating memorable and inspiring museum experiences for a wide range of visitors.
In-depth involvement in acquisition of new artefacts, maintaining relationships with donors, cultivating new patrons, and securing loans of collections and objects from other institutions and private collectors.
Foster and maintain good working relationships with patrons, trustees, key stakeholders, and museum colleagues across the country and abroad, as well as with the academic community, art dealers, practitioners and collectors.

What we are looking for

An ideal candidate should possess the following:

[Acquisition] Make acquisitions based on collection gaps in alignment with NHB’s strategic objectives, overall collecting criteria for National Collection, and the specific strategies and priorities of ACM-TPM. Able to work independently on acquisitions and execute tasks such as cataloguing and research. In addition, make recommendations to develop or improve acquisition policies and procedures. Cultivate relationships with donors, collectors, practitioners, dealers, and other stakeholders.

[Collections Specialisation] Develop specialisation for aspects of the ACM-TPM collection. Evaluate objects based on material, technique, stylistic, technical and artistic qualities and interpret objects based on their historical and socio-cultural contexts.

[Research, publication and scholarship] Develop scholarship material through independent research and analysis. Develop and implement research plans and methodologies and build relationship with scholars and researchers. Produce full-length essays and lectures for ACM-TPM.

[Curation, Interpretation and exhibition development] Develop theme and storyline for exhibitions and collaborate with exhibition and graphic designers to convey exhibition narrative. Interpret and integrate digital content (e.g. archival material) into overall curation process. Coordinate research efforts on selected artefacts. Manage internal and external stakeholders (including suppliers) for exhibition development. Interpret collections to engage diverse audience groups.

[Stakeholder engagement] Identify and prioritise stakeholders (e.g. community, practitioners, academics, patrons, collectors, dealers) based on specific issues. Develop and implement engagement plans to build and sustain relationships with stakeholders. Lead loan efforts by overseeing the identification, research and negotiation of potential loans from institutions and collectors. Training of volunteers and docents on exhibition content through lectures and walkthroughs.

Work Experience and Knowledge

Background in art history, applied arts, history or related social sciences preferably Masters and above with at least five years of relevant research and work experience in a museum and/or related educational/research institution with equivalent focus on Cross-cultural art and Asian diaspora studies.
Express strong interest and possess specialised knowledge in Peranakan art and Asian diaspora studies.
Excellent research and writing skills, with proficiency in English. Proficiency in other languages and working knowledge of creole languages would be advantageous.
Strong organisational, project management, and inter-personal skills, able to work independently and as part of a team.

Successful candidates will be offered a 2-year contract in the first instance.

About National Heritage Board

The National Heritage Board (NHB) champions the development of a vibrant cultural and heritage sector in Singapore. Our role is to make heritage enriching, relevant, accessible and above all, enjoyable to Singaporeans and visitors alike. If you have the Passion …to build a nation of confident people and sense of rootedness …to deliver great service towards a strong community …to inspire generations of Singaporeans through heritage preservation …to continually innovate and develop yourself as a professional …to have fun while doing all of the above We Want You! http://www.nhb.gov.sg

About your application process

This job is closing on 01 Oct 2025.

If you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the job ad closing date, we seek your understanding that it is likely that we are not moving forward with your application for this role. We thank you for your interest and would like to assure you that this does not affect your other job applications with the Public Service. We encourage you to explore and apply for other roles within National Heritage Board or the wider Public Service.