In 2015, National Gallery Singapore opened its doors with a bold vision: to spotlight Southeast Asian art on the world stage and make art part of everyday life.
Ten years on, we look back at the key milestones that have defined our journey – through groundbreaking exhibitions, global collaborations, public engagement, and as a leading visual arts institution.
10 milestones from our first decade










Official Opening of National Gallery Singapore

On 24 November 2015, the Gallery welcomed its first visitors with two major inaugural exhibitions: Siapa Nama Kamu? Art in Singapore since the 19th Century and Between Declarations and Dreams: Art of Southeast Asia since the 19th Century.
Together, they kicked off a decade of telling Singapore and Southeast Asia’s art stories to the world.
Together, they kicked off a decade of telling Singapore and Southeast Asia’s art stories to the world.
2015
Opening of the Keppel Centre for Art Education

The Keppel Centre for Art Education opened the same year – Singapore’s first dedicated art education facility within a museum – offering hands-on art experiences, interactive installations, and learning spaces for children, educators, and families.
2015
Inaugural Light to Night Singapore festival

Light to Night Singapore made its debut as part of Singapore Art Week, transforming public spaces with light projections, performances, and interactive works.
Spilling across the Civic District, the festival brought together art, innovation, and the community, quickly becoming a popular event among locals.
Spilling across the Civic District, the festival brought together art, innovation, and the community, quickly becoming a popular event among locals.
2016
Launch of Gallery Children’s Biennale

We unveiled our first Children’s Biennale, an initiative that commissioned artists to create immersive, interactive artworks especially for children and families.
It marked a turning point in our role as an arts education and intergenerational learning space.
It marked a turning point in our role as an arts education and intergenerational learning space.
2017
Century of Light in collaboration with Musée d’Orsay

This landmark exhibition brought together two major shows – Colours of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay, and Between Worlds: Raden Saleh and Juan Luna – connecting Southeast Asian and European art histories and attracting wide acclaim.
2017
5 million visitors...and counting!

Within three years, we welcomed our five millionth visitor, a milestone that reflected our ability to engage diverse audiences and build strong connections with the public.
2018
Southeast Asia’s largest exhibition of Yayoi Kusama

The Gallery co-presented Yayoi Kusama: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow, drawing record-breaking crowds and cementing the Gallery’s reputation for hosting internationally significant exhibitions in dialogue with regional art.
With its immersive spaces and striking visuals, the show set new attendance records.
With its immersive spaces and striking visuals, the show set new attendance records.
2019
Nam June Paik: The Future is Now

Co-organised with Tate Modern and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the exhibition Nam June Paik: The Future is Now, brought global art dialogue to our doorstep and introduced visitors to the pioneering world of video art.
As the only Asian stop of this global tour, the exhibition cemented the Gallery’s role in international curatorial collaborations and showcased its capacity to present cutting-edge media art to regional audiences.
As the only Asian stop of this global tour, the exhibition cemented the Gallery’s role in international curatorial collaborations and showcased its capacity to present cutting-edge media art to regional audiences.
2021
The People’s Gallery

We brought art into everyday spaces with The People’s Gallery, where we turned more than 25 void decks and community spaces into augmented reality galleries.
By scanning QR codes, residents experienced artworks from the national collection through their mobile devices – bringing art into the rhythm of everyday life.
By scanning QR codes, residents experienced artworks from the national collection through their mobile devices – bringing art into the rhythm of everyday life.
2022
Celebrating a decade of art and impact

This year, we mark our 10th anniversary with a celebration of art, events, and community engagement. From retrospectives to public programmes, we look back – and forward – at a decade of shaping art discourse, growing regional collections, and connecting audiences with the stories of Southeast Asia.
2025