Not Mere Spectators:

The Makings of Multicultural Singapore

 

Date: 31 October 2025 – 29 March 2026

Venue: City Hall Chamber, Level 3, National Gallery of Singapore

 

About the Exhibition 

Step into 1950s–1970s Singapore, when multiculturalism was thought about, talked about, and consciously forged through policies, ground-up efforts and the daily choices of ordinary citizens. Move through the tensions between ideals and realities, then find your place on the stage of multicultural Singapore — still in the making today.

The exhibition ended on 29 March 2026, but you can still check it out virtually via Matterport! Just click the image below:

Disclaimer: This digital version of the exhibition may not include all elements, such as multimedia content, that were available in the physical exhibition.

Exhibition Programmes

Beyond the exhibition's physical space, we had a lineup of accessible programmes to spark conversations and build bridges among visitors from all walks of life.

 Aneka Ragam Remix multicultural performances 

Youth-led tours for seniors

On the Flipside: Conversations on Multiculturalism 

Download Exhibition Resources

1. Exhibition Brochure
   • English - 4MB
   • Chinese - 4MB
   • Malay - 4.2MB
   • Tamil - 6.2MB
2. Education resource (for ages 15 and above) - 5 MB
3. Self-guided Journey (for Institutes of Higher Learning) - 5 MB
4. Family guide (for ages 9 to 12) - 15 MB
5. +65 Journal
   
   

   +65 is the flagship publication of the Founders’ Memorial, aiming to build thought leadership on Singapore’s independence and post-independence history and society. Explore different facets of how our nation’s formative years (1950s–1970s) are interpreted, represented, and remembered.

   This 4th issue of +65 explores the topic of multiculturalism. Get broader contextual information about the origins and evolution of multiculturalism in Independent and post-Independent Singapore (1950s–1970s).

   Limited copies are available at the exhibition. Download your online copy here. (8 MB)
6. Select articles that were featured in the Not Mere Spectators exhibition:

• Aneka Ragam Ra’ayat: Bringing to Life a Multicultural Nation
• S. Rajaratnam: Keeper of the Multicultural Flame
• Multiculturalism by Design: The Legacy of the 1966 Wee Chong Jin Constitutional Commission
• Finding the Pulse of Singapore’s Identity: From EngMalChin to Multi-Civilisational An Interview with Professor Wang Gungwu
• Growing Pains: An Intergenerational Conversation on Language and Change
• Navigating Diversity and Inclusion: Experiences of Singapore’s Pioneer Malay Leaders, 1950s-1970s
• Perspectives on Religious Harmony in Singapore: Origins and Evolution

 

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