It is with much disappointment that we announce there will be no docent training for the 2020-21 year, as the current restrictions due to Covid-19 make scheduling logistics very challenging. The current plan is to resume docent training in September of 2021, at which point there will be more museums and heritage institutions offering training. 

Instead we are excited to announce a new 10-week programme for the museum enthusiast delivered by FOM Docents called Asian Art & History for Museum Enthusiasts.

This 10-week online FOM member-only series will introduce you to our museum docents from all our affiliated museums, heritage institutions, and heritage trails.

Each week docents from a different institution will present 2 themed lectures and give a virtual tour inclusive of those lecture themes. Whilst docent facilitators will lead smaller group discussions in break out rooms. If you sign up for this course, you can expect to be engaged by our museum docents on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 2nd October through 11 December.

Applications are open to all FOM members and existing docents.

Due to the COVID-19 situation we have decided to postpone Docent Training Programs for 2020.

Instead we invite you to our online Public Information Meeting (PIM) to hear about our new online Asian Art & History for Museums Enthusiasts programme which starts in October.

Monday 31st August at 10am: Click here to register for the PIM (This meeting will be held online on Zoom)

If you have any questions about our docent training programmes in the meantime please send us an email at training@fom.sg.

Join us and share the stories of Kampong Gelam!

We are pleased to announce a new training programme for Kampong Gelam Heritage Trails 2020 conducted by FOM in conjunction with the Malay Heritage Foundation.

FOM members and existing FOM Docents are invited to join the 6-week training programme starting September 2020. Sessions will take place in the Malay Heritage Centre auditorium & outdoors in the Kampong Gelam area on Mondays and Fridays 9am - 12.30 pm.

The programme will consist of lectures and tours from external speakers and local experts. You will learn also about moving personal stories from Kampong Gelam residents.

If you wish to apply please email :  kgcoordinators@gmail.com

The Asian Civilisations Museum explores the theme of Singapore as one of the region's great port cities and trade emporia—a role Southeast Asia played long before the first Europeans reached its shores. The museum's galleries highlight not only the goods traded, but also the cultural and religious influences that contributed to Southeast Asia's cultural diversity. The Asian Civilisations Museum offers visitors a unique insight into the region's long and rich history. The next training programme is expected to start Autumn 2020.

The National Museum of Singapore covers Singapore's rich history as it grew into the independent, modern city-state it is today. The galleries capture the nation's defining moments, challenges and achievements using innovative displays that highlight significant periods in Singapore's 700-year history, as well as the life of historical figures and the many groups that form the basis of Singapore's multicultural society today. The next training programme is expected to start Autumn 2020.

Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH) traces Dr Sun's revolutionary activities in the Southeast Asian region, and highlights the impact of the 1911 revolution that ended the Qing dynasty in China. SYSNMH also highlights the significant contributions of the Chinese in Singapore to these historical events and the role played by Dr Sun’s key Singapore supporters.

Locals and tourists visiting Singapore experience the untold stories behind the streets and landmarks of Singapore’s Chinatown when on a 2 hour URA/FOM Heritage Trail walk in one of the 4 precincts of Chinatown (Kreta Ayer, Telok Ayer, Bukit Pasoh or Tanjong Pagar).

The Indian Heritage Centre celebrates the history, heritage and culture of the Indian community in Singapore and the Southeast Asian region, from early influences of the Indian subcontinent on this region, the early migrants to Singapore, to contributions of Singapore’s Indian community. It is located in the heart of the colourful and historical Little India precinct. The next training programme will start 2020/2021

STPI is a dynamic creative workshop and cutting-edge contemporary art gallery in Singapore that collaborates with top international contemporary artists. It is committed to promoting appreciation of and artistic experimentation in the mediums of print and paper. Guiding at STPI is a unique experience. Docents typically guide five or six new exhibitions per year to the public, in particular primary and secondary school students. Tours aim to develop visitor understanding of contemporary art, print and paper techniques and include a behind the scenes tour of the facilities.

Malay Heritage Centre was once the palace of Singapore’s last king. Today, it is a unique museum that showcases the history, culture and heritage of the Malay community in Singapore. It is located within Kampong Gelam, the historical bustling port town and the heart of the Malay community.

Gillman Barracks (GB) is a contemporary arts cluster. The GB Training Module offers an opportunity to guide contemporary art exhibitions from five different continents hosted by reputed international galleries located at GB. Training for GB is only open to those who are already docents at SAM, STPI and NMS, please send us an email if you are interested to join. 

Peranakan, a Malay term meaning 'local born' describes the early diasporic communities in Southeast Asia which assimilated aspects of indigenous Malay culture into their cultures of origin, and producing unique hybrid cultures. The Peranakan Museum is a small boutique museum which showcases the life and rites of these very communities (mainly ethnic Chinese, but also ethnic Indian and Eurasian).  There will be no docent training in 2019/2020 as the museum is closed temporarily for a revamp since April 2019.