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Explore the rich artistic histories of Singapore and Southeast Asia at our reference library and archive nestled in the historic Supreme Court Wing. We have an extensive collection of artist monographs, exhibition catalogues, art journals, and art archives.
Visit the Rotunda Library & ArchiveThe World’s Largest Collection of Southeast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art
Discover more than 8,000 artworks from across Southeast Asia spanning the 19th century to the present.
Explore the Collection
The Gallery is home to a significant collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian art, with works from the nineteenth century to the modern day.
Art from “Southeast Asia” refers to a region that encompasses Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, The Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei. The Gallery's unique transnational approach and collection forms the basis of our curatorial and research efforts to (re)write the art histories of this region.
Our Collection forms part of Singapore’s National Collection, managed by the National Heritage Board.
The Collection has borne witness to the changing landscape of art institutions in Singapore. Over the years, custodianship of the Collection transitioned from the National Museum Art Gallery (est. 1976) to the Singapore Art Museum (est. 1996) and to the Gallery (est. 2015), reflecting the evolving landscape of Singapore’s art institutions and the contributions of artists, estates, and private donors.
Collection Highlights
Visitor Favourites
Guidelines on using the collections
The Archives Collection consists of artists’ primary archives (photographs, letters, sketches, diaries and manuscripts), rare Southeast Asian art catalogues and publications from the 19th and 20th centuries, video documentation and experimental films, recorded interviews and exhibition ephemera (invitation cards, posters, brochures, etc.) under the purview of the Gallery’s Library & Archive.
The Gallery aims to preserve its Archives Collection through digitization, thereby minimising wear and tear on the original physical copy. If you need to examine the original copy, please contact us at library.archive@nationalgallery.sg All requests are subject to approval by the Gallery.
We are unable to offer online access for some archival materials due to different copyright restrictions from the archive owners. However, you can view these materials with our digital viewing facility at the Gallery’s Rotunda Library & Archive. Please scroll down for more information on accessing the Rotunda Library & Archive, or click this link for the Library & Archive page on the Gallery’s website.
The Gallery is continually researching, checking, and updating its records. If you find any errors or have additional information about any materials in the Archives Collection, please contact us at library.archive@nationalgallery.sg.
The General International Standard Archival Description (ISADG).
Please fill in the form on the “Make a Request” page. You will need to indicate your name and organisation, as well as the Title, Reference Code and intended use for the archival materials you are requesting. All information provided will be used solely to process your request. You will receive an email confirmation. Processing may take up to 4 weeks. All requests are subject to approval by the Gallery and must follow our image use guidelines, which are available from our staff. Please see this video guide on how to submit a request.
The following fees will apply:
- Digital copy (where permissible according to the copyright holder): Free
- Print copy only: S$1.00 per A4 page
- Photocopy only: S$0.20 per A4 page
Cash payment can be made at the Rotunda Library & Archive upon collection of the requested materials.
Archival materials may be used for personal research and educational purposes only. Commercial usage is strictly prohibited. If additional clearances are required from the copyright owner, it is the responsibility of the user to secure permission from the appropriate copyright holder.
As a relatively new museum established in 2015, our Collections Search Portal is still a work-in-progress. We are continually adding and updating information.
The Gallery seeks to share our collections with as many people as we can. We are fully committed to respecting the intellectual property and privacy rights of others and always use our best efforts to obtain permissions for the materials on the Collection Search Portal. Individuals whose personal and/or sensitive information are revealed without consent are welcome to write to us at library.archive@nationalgallery.sg with the following information:
- Name and contact details
- Reference code and URL of the material concerned
- Detailed reason(s) behind concern
