Art lovers in Singapore and beyond have only a few months left to experience the National Gallery Singapore’s (NGS) permanent exhibition Between Declarations and Dreams. This exhibition, showcasing the modern art history of Southeast Asia, will close in April 2026 for a major renewal and is expected to reopen in October 2027. This marks the first significant overhaul of the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery since it first opened to the public in 2015.
The exhibition spans 15 galleries and features over 300 artworks, including masterpieces by renowned Southeast Asian artists such as Raden Saleh and Juan Luna. Divided into four sections across three levels, the current setup has been a critical anchor for NGS’ Supreme Court Wing, offering a comprehensive, chronological narrative of modern Southeast Asian art.
Alongside the gallery renewal, the NGS’ Rotunda Library & Archive will be closed from February 14, 2026, to October 2027. While walk-in visits will not be allowed during this period, appointments will be available for access to library and archival materials from March 8, 2026.
This renewal comes shortly after NGS celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025 and the completion of its first revamp of the permanent Singapore art history exhibition. The institution has also expanded its scope, as seen in Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art, launched in July 2025, which highlights more women and minority artists and includes a wider range of visual culture.
The NGS’ Southeast Asian gallery renewal is made possible through the continued support of UOB, which renewed its partnership with the museum for another five years in January 2024, contributing funds for research and the acquisition of new works.
As NGS moves forward with its vision, the upcoming changes promise to deepen the understanding of how Southeast Asian artists have shaped global visual culture.
