Singaporean Angelita Teo takes over at ArtScience Museum, overseeing attractions at MBS
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Angelita Teo (above) takes over from New Zealander Honor Harger, who led the museum from 2014 to 2026.
PHOTO: MARINA BAY SANDS
- Angelita Teo, former National Museum director, is appointed the new vice-president of attractions at Marina Bay Sands.
- Teo brings extensive heritage experience and international exposure from leading the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage in Switzerland.
- The ArtScience Museum, Singapore's largest private museum, is known for major exhibitions like The World Of Studio Ghibli and Iris Van Herpen showcases.
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SINGAPORE – Singaporean Angelita Teo has been appointed the new vice-president of attractions at Marina Bay Sands, overseeing the ArtScience Museum, Digital Light Canvas by teamLab, Sampan Rides and SkyPark Observation Deck.
The veteran is a known name in heritage circles here, having led the National Museum of Singapore for seven years before she left for Switzerland in 2019 to become director of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage.
Teo said: “I am delighted to be returning home to Singapore after nearly seven years overseas. My family and I have been looking forward to this move, and I am excited to begin this next chapter back where our roots are.”
She has hit the ground running, assuming her new post on July 1. She added: “Joining Marina Bay Sands presents a unique opportunity to combine my passion for culture, museums and meaningful experiences. Singapore has long demonstrated how culture, tourism and world-class experiences can reinforce one another, and I am excited to bring my international experience home to contribute to that vision.”
Paul Town, chief operating officer of Marina Bay Sands, said of Teo: “She brings a rare combination of curatorial prowess, institutional leadership and global perspective, with a proven track record in driving transformation and leading large-scale cultural and heritage projects at both national and international levels.
“Having navigated complex museum ecosystems, international networks and multidisciplinary teams, Angelita also brings the depth of experience and vision to further strengthen the role of our attractions as a cultural bridge between Singapore and the world.”
Teo began her career as an assistant curator at the National Heritage Board (NHB), which she joined in 1996 after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of British Columbia. Funded by an NHB scholarship, she also earned a master’s in art curatorship at the University of Melbourne in 2011.
She helped turn the Singapore Night Festival into a family-friendly blockbuster event and expanded the Singapore Heritage Festival as director of the NHB’s festivals and precinct development division. Under her watch, the festivals drew a combined annual visitorship of two million.
She takes over from New Zealander Honor Harger, who led the museum from 2014 to 2026.
The ArtScience Museum is the largest private museum in Singapore. Opened in 2011 by then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, it has brought to Singapore multiple popular exhibitions over the years.
They include 2024’s The World Of Studio Ghibli, which featured life-size dioramas inspired by the Japanese studio’s beloved animations; and 2025’s Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting The Senses, which set the celebrated Dutch designer’s couture creations against natural history specimens and contemporary artworks.
