Making Sun Yat Sen's Legacy Relevant Again

(Built in 1902, the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall was once the headquarters for the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance in Southeast Asia.)

(The memorial hall was reopened to the public in 9 October 2011, on the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Xinhai Revolution.)

This unassuming villa in Balestier is packed with a myriad of historical artefacts and modern technology that tells the story of one of the most influential figures in China’s history.

Located in Tai Gin Road, the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is a testament of Singapore’s historical ties with China’s first ever President, Sun Yat Sen, who spearheaded revolutionary party against the Qin dynasty.

Open every Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 5pm, this little-known historical gem is free-of-charge for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents.

(Many exhibitions in the museum provide both visual and auditory experiences for visitors.)

A Modern Relic

The museum has incorporated multimedia interactives to provide a more immersive experience, such as interactive touchscreens and holographic projections about Sun Yat Sen’s defining moments.

On March this year, the museum also piloted the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) “Be My Robo-Date” initiative. This initiative introduces remote-controlled mobile monitors to provide virtual tours of heritage sites for people who are physically incapable of visiting them, such as elderly patients with dementia.

However, as technology advances at a rapid pace, museums find it harder to stay relevant.

“If you put in interactives, you have to keep up with the times.” Ms Lu Cai Xia, 37, assistant curator of the memorial hall, said. “At the time they’re implemented, it might have been state-of-the-art, but they become outdated very quickly.”

The memorial hall also face constraints in terms of being a preserved building.

“We have expansions, but we can’t alter the size of the building. There’s only so much we can do.”

Appealing To The Youths Of Today

While viewership has been steadily increasing over the years, the curators of the museum want to attract more youths.

A survey conducted by Nanyang Technological University revealed that out of 600 respondents, while 85.6% of youths think heritage is important, only 15% would actively seek out information on it.

“We want to engage young people.” Ms Lu said. “We want to find out what young people expect and want from museums.”

The museum has expressed interest in making upcoming exhibitions more aesthetic and ‘Instagram-able’.

“We realized that the young people like to spend a lot of time in our toilets.” Ms Lu laughed, “We have one of the most beautiful toilets in Singapore. They want to take pictures there.”

For their annual open-housed events, such as the upcoming Wan Qing Dumpling Festival on the 1st and 2nd of June, Ms Lu said that they will be focusing on youth performing groups and organizing activities that will appeal to that demographic.

When asked about the point of learning history, Ms Lu explained beautifully.

“If you look at how small our island is, there’s not a lot of things to explore. But if you look at the depth of our history, there’s a lot of interesting things to learn. It (learning history and heritage) helps me have a better sense of where I am, and how I relate to Singapore personally, as a place I can call my home.”

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