The Peranakan Museum explores the culture of Peranakan communities in Southeast Asia, and possesses one of the finest and most comprehensive public collections of Peranakan objects.

On February 17, 2023, the museum reopened its doors after nearly four years of renovation work.

The newly refreshed Peranakan Museum holds brand-new permanent galleries presenting exceptional objects from Peranakan material culture, as well as a more contemporary exhibition design and an enhanced museum visitor experience. In particular, one key shift in the curatorial approach was to also include contemporary expressions of Peranakan culture, by way of works of contemporary art, fashion, design and craft, created by local and regional artists, artisans and designers, and inserted into every gallery.

The three floors of the museum explore Peranakan life through themes related to origins, home, and style as aspects of identity. Community interviews, recorded demonstrations, art commissions, and other contemporary expressions of Peranakan culture provide a multi-faceted experience for visitors, encouraging them to ask themselves: "what is Peranakan?".

The museum is a department of ACM, operating under the National Heritage Board.

The journey of roots and routes begin at the Origins Gallery, which begins the experience with the question, “What is Peranakan?”

Ceramics and Food Culture: Encounter culturally diverse aesthetics and flavour of Peranakan communities through nyonya ware and food.

Family and Community: Life Come home to furniture and furnishings that explore family and community life in Peranakan tradition.

Batik: Begin our third floor of “Style” with batik, a traditional textile with roots in Java, Indonesia.

Decorative Textiles: Explore a range of decorative textiles, including nyonya embroidery and beadwork – quintessential expressions of Peranakan tradition and culture.

Fashion Designed: as to evoke the feel of a boutique, this gallery has something for everyone – womenswear, menswear, shoes, bags and accessories. Fall in love with Peranakan style.

Jewellery: Our most striking gallery in the museum – a glistening array of jewellery for various stages of Peranakan life and occasions.

Batik Nyonyas: Three Generations of Art and Entrepreneurship: This exhibition explores the lives and works of these women, revealing how each became a batik master in her own right, and how they responded to the rapid political, cultural, and economic changes of their times to run a business that produced great art. (11 Oct 2024 – 31 Aug 2025)