Collecting Contemporary Singapore: Play and Toys

Submission Details

In conjunction with the Play:Date – Unlocking Cabinets of Play showcase, this edition of the Collecting Contemporary Singapore public call focuses on play experiences from the 1980s to the present. Toys are often a child’s earliest teachers and playmates. They play a role in shaping children’s views of the world and their own identities, in encouraging creativity and imagination, and in providing competitive challenges to hone their skills. Play is also a way in which children engage with their peers and forge friendships.

The National Museum encourages Singaporeans to contribute to this project by donating their play-related items to the National Collection and sharing their stories about these items.

• Toys or games popular amongst children and youth in the 1980s to present day (e.g. toys or games that have defined this particular era and/or become part of long-running fads such as Tamagotchi, Hot Wheels vehicles and Pokémon; toys commonly found in school bookshops such as Bestman Balloon Blow, slap bracelets and friendship bracelet strings)
• Toys or games invented or crafted by children (e.g. hand-made toys such as paper or wooden boats; modified toys such as country erasers with staples)
• Toys or games that have a Singaporean origin, inspiration or design (e.g. objects created by local companies; objects that include Singaporean icons such as Mr Kiasu toys from McDonald’s; Singapore-themed board games)
• Photographs of children and youths playing from the 1980s to present day

Please note that unsolicited donations sent through the mail or otherwise without prior correspondence with our curators will not be accepted.

For further queries, please contact the museum’s Curatorial team at NHB_NMS_Curatorial@nhb.gov.sg.

About Collecting Contemporary Singapore

The National Museum is expanding our public engagement efforts to crowdsource objects and related stories/photos from residents in Singapore, so as to broaden our contemporary collection. We will be focusing on different themes each year to encourage Singaporeans to contribute to this project and reflect upon life in Singapore in recent times.

These contributions may reveal different perspectives of contemporary Singapore that will shape and inform the curation of the museum’s future exhibitions. Selected objects may also be featured in relevant exhibitions presented by the National Museum.

If you have other objects that you are keen to contribute to the National Museum of Singapore but which do not fit the ongoing theme(s) of our current open call(s), please email your story and photos of the object to NHB_NMS_Curatorial@nhb.gov.sg for our curators’ assessment.