Ms Yeh Yi Min, senior consultant at Maek Consulting, searches for areas where layers of paint – spanning the oldest to the most recent – can be uncovered.

Senior consultant at Maek Consulting Yeh Yi Min using a digital microscope to examine the layers of paint on the walls of the rotunda to identify areas of interest. Notably, the rotunda is part of the building’s oldest structure.

Once identified, a scalpel is used to carefully extract a sample, which is then analysed in a laboratory using a high-resolution stereo microscope.

This process reveals the composition and appearance of the paint, offering insights into the building’s evolution and changes in its decorative finishes over time.

Ms Yeh holding a stack of paint layers extracted from the wall of the rotunda, which shows the progression from the earliest coat to the most recent.

Ms Ryanne Tang, associate director at Maek Consulting, an architecture and materials consultancy specialising in heritage conservation and preservation, explains: “This information is meant for proper documentation of the actual construction of historic walls, which would give a better understanding to future maintenance and restoration teams about the building’s history and development and condition of the historic fabric.”

Eventually, the brick walls will be finished with compatible plaster and paint.

The original exposed bricks reveal the construction techniques used on the building. Bricks from the late 1800s and early 1900s were not as strongly fired as modern bricks, and the mortar used primarily consisted of hydrated lime.

The restoration and upgrading works for the museum’s oldest structure – the two front wings – began in September 2023.

ICONIC DOME

Restoration of the rotunda and the parallel block behind it commenced in February 2024.

Metal scaffolding in the museum’s rotunda provides access to the 27m-high dome’s inner plastered walls, which also require restoration. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

A rich history

The rotunda and the two front wings were completed in 1887, during the year of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Sir Frederick Weld, then Governor of the Straits Settlements, ceremoniously unlocked the museum’s front door.

A walkway on the museum’s second floor connects the rotunda, built in 1887, to a newer extension completed in 1907.

The last major restoration took place from 2003 to 2006.

The Ionic capitals above the entrances to the Voices of Singapore gallery on the second floor in the museum's north wing. The colourful carpet in the gallery will not be kept.

The museum’s neo-Palladian design features a highly symmetrical facade with pediments above the windows.

An original decorative pediment above the Surviving Syonan gallery doorway, featuring ornamental moulding with a wreath of flowers and fruit. The black and underlying paints have not yet been removed.
A close-up of Ionic capitals at a corner in one of the second-floor galleries in the museum’s north wing. The building’s architecture follows the principles of neoclassical design - these details are significant and must be preserved.

Large triangular pediments at both ends of the front block, front and back, are adorned with Queen Victoria’s coat of arms.

Workers carefully removing thick layers of paint from the royal coat of arms on the facade of the museum. The intricate ornamental plasterwork had been hidden beneath these layers.
Paint being scraped off the royal coat of arms, after the application of environmentally friendly chemical strippers to protect the delicate, aged plaster.

Other neoclassical elements, such as Doric columns and pilasters on the ground floor and Ionic pilasters on the second floor, contribute to the building’s classical appeal.

The same method used to remove paint from the royal coat of arms is being applied to the plasterwork on a window’s exterior architraves. These feature decorative moulding of plants resembling a root vegetable with large leaves.

Large windows, arranged in neat rows, were strategically designed for ventilation – crucial for the tropical climate of Singapore.

The gallery in the north wing of the museum's original block, constructed in 1887, which today forms part of the Voices of Singapore gallery.

Challenges of restoration

Restoring a historic building like the National Museum of Singapore requires extra care and effort to ensure the quality of work meets the highest standards, especially when preserving intricate interior and exterior ornaments.

As Ms Tang notes: “We ride on technology, such as using 3D scanned documentation and measurement of the ornament profile to serve as the reference for the artisans during the repair process.”

When the building opened in 1887 and until the early 1900s, it housed the collections of the Raffles Library (seen on the tablet). These cast iron columns are unique features of this hall, not found anywhere else in the building.

Another challenge is to balance restoration efforts with keeping parts of the museum open to the public.

While most historic buildings can be closed during restoration, the National Museum remains partially accessible.

“In order to keep the space safe and minimise disruption to the visitor experience, more noise, odour and dust controls are put in place as a precaution at the hoarded areas with active restoration works,” says Ms Tang.

Metal scaffolding and construction hoarding surrounding the museum's rotunda and the original north and south blocks. Cartoon murals and interactive puzzles on the hoarding bring vibrant energy to the museum.

Though the ongoing work does not affect the building’s structural integrity, Ms Tang says, “the biggest challenge is likely all the unknowns that are revealed only during the process of restoration”.

Such underlying problems are often unforeseen and challenging to address. Although a restoration plan is typically developed before work begins, these issues can only be detected once the process is under way.

Preservation techniques

Due to the tropical climate and high humidity, salts from the ground find their way into the building’s walls.

This results in the formation of salt crystals within the plaster and bricks, causing paint blisters, plaster cracks, and crumbling brick surfaces.

To remove salt deposits from the brick masonry walls, workers first pour a water-repellent chemical solution into bottles with tubes that extend into the walls.

The solution gradually permeates the brick, forming a hydrophobic barrier inside the wall to block dampness from rising from the ground. This process, known as rising damp treatment, is commonly used on older buildings.

Workers mixing a water-repellent chemical solution to be used for the rising damp treatment.
Workers pouring the water-repellent chemical solution into bottles with tubes that extend into the wall.

Following this, a chemical paste is applied to the walls to draw the salts out, to help prevent cracks and peeling.

These treatments work together to protect the walls from further damage and maintain the building’s structural integrity.

Completion

The museum’s restoration is carried out in phases and is targeted to be completed in 2026.

A sheet of clear plastic is used to cover the mural under the grand staircase near the rotunda while restoration works are carried out on other parts of the museum. The painting by mural artist Yip Yew Chong, titled History of the National Museum of Singapore, was commissioned for the 130th anniversary of the museum in 2017.

The four Life In Singapore galleries, which will also reopen in 2026, will continue to provide a personal glimpse into the everyday life of Singaporeans across different historical periods.

RESTORING A GRAND DAME

While the core concepts and themes will remain unchanged, the museum plans to rotate displays with new artefacts and stories from each era.

 ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Additionally, more immersive and interactive set-ups will be introduced to enhance the visitor experience.

This ongoing restoration not only aims to preserve the building’s historical charm but also ensure that future generations can continue to engage with Singapore’s rich cultural heritage in a dynamic and interactive setting.