One of Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH) popular festivals/events, the SYSNMH Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2023 is back, taking place on the weekend of 17th and 18th June 2023! Time for bring your family and children for a weekend of fun, enjoyment, interactive and learning activities for the whole family!
Although there is a wide array of fun activities, workshops and things to do at Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2023, I would like to share with you two key highlights at this Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2023! They are, a special exhibition titled, “Connections Across Oceans: Early Chinese Mutual Aid Organisations” (from 10th March 2023 to 10th December 2023) and an Escape Room Activity – Lost in Time: The Case of the Missing Researcher!
Special Exhibition – Connections Across Oceans: Early Chinese Mutual Aid Organisations
A special exhibition titled “Connections Across Oceans: Early Chinese Mutual Aid Organisations” is taking place at SYSNMH from 10th March 2023 to 10th December 2023. An informative and interesting exhibition to learn and understand more about our early history of Chinese migrants that travelled to destinations all over the world during the 19th century.
Most migrants arrived in Southeast Asia or in North America. Local governments at that time did not provide adequate support and welfare, therefore Chinese migrants started their own organisations in order to survive on foreign lands. These organisations there were formed were important pillars of the Chinese migrant community, as they provided a variety of support from political, economic, socio-cultural and religious support for their members.
These mutual aid organisations usually share a common surname, hometown, language, or they could regard each other as sworn brothers.
After you visit this special exhibition, you would have a better understanding and the links to the various clan associations and dialect associations that have established themselves in Singapore’s heritage, history, culture and society even till today in modern times.
Escape Room Activity – Lost in Time: The Case of the Missing Researcher
If you think going to a museum is not cool and exciting enough at times, come on down with your family and friends to take on this interesting, mind boggling and interactive escape room activity – Lost in Time: The Case of the Missing Researcher.
This special escape room activity is launched in conjunction with SYSNMH ongoing special exhibition – Connections Across Oceans: Early Chinese Mutual Aid Organisations. This special exhibition serves as an inspiration for this special escape game, where participants will get to interact and engage with the exhibition and its artefacts on display in order to solve the mystery.
What is Lost in Time: The Case of the Missing Researcher all about?
A renowned researcher has vanished while studying a mysterious 19th century artefact. You and your team are called in to investigate the disappearance of this renowned researcher.
In order to find and rescue the researcher, you and your team will need to navigate through twists and turns to uncover the various clues and solve puzzles (that are going to test your brain, mind, observations and teamwork).
Beware, there may be those who doesn’t want you to find the renowned researcher, and would go to great lengths to keep the researcher hidden.
Are you and your team able to locate the missing researcher and bring him back to safety before it’s too late? The clock is ticking, time is running out! The fate of this renowned researcher rest in you and your team hands.
Can you complete this rescue mission and bring him back to the present?
Sharing some tips
I would just leave you with two tips to navigate through this interesting, mind boggling, interactive escape room activity that would help you complete your rescue mission and bring back the renowned researcher to the present.
- Pay very close attention to the artefacts on display
- Read the words/explanations/descriptions carefully/thoroughly of the artefacts on display
Lost in Time: The Case of the Missing Researcher
- Date: 17th & 18th June 2023
- Time: 10am – 11.30am (Sunday only) 11.30am – 1pm, 1pm – 2.30pm (Sunday only), 2.30pm – 4pm, 4pm – 5.30pm
- Admission: $8 per pax, group of 4 – 5 pax recommended
Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2023 Listings
Here are the rest of the SYSNMH Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2023 listings and activities line-up.
Workshops
Parent-Child Wearable Dragon Boat Craft Workshop (Supported by A2+rt Studio)
- Date: 17 & 18 June 2023 Time: 3.30pm – 5.30pm
- Admission: $24 per parent-child pair
Parent-Child Hainanese Rice Dumpling Making Workshop (Supported by Bak Chang Queen) Date: 18 June 2023
- Time: 1pm – 3pm
- Admission: $38 per parent-child pair
Free Activities
Public Talk – Home Abroad: Shanghainese (Sanjiang) Community and Early Chinese Society in Singapore
- Date: 17 June 2023
- Time: 10am – 11.30am
- Admission: Free; limited spaces available, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Public Talk – The Restoration and Conservation of the “Calm Seas in the Southern Seas” Imperial Silk Scroll
- Date: 17 June 2023
- Time: 1pm – 2.30pm
- Admission: Free; pre-registration required.
Public Talk – Emigrant Ships, Barracoons, and Quarantine Stations: The Architecture of Chinese Immigration in 19th and 20th century Singapore and Hong Kong
- Date: 18 June 2023
- Time: 10am – 11.30am
- Admission: Free; limited spaces available, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Storytelling Sessions: Tales of Dragon Boat Festival (Supported by Speak Good English Movement and Speak Mandarin Campaign)
- Date: 17 June 2023 (Mandarin), 18 June 2023 (English)
- Time: 11.30am – 12.30pm, 2pm – 3pm
- Admission: Free
Drop-in Craft Station: Dragon Boat Festival Inspired Crafts (Supported by River Valley High School)
- Date: 17 & 18 June 2023
- Time: 10.30am – 5.30pm
- Admission: Free
Drop-in Craft Station: Chinese Calligraphy Try-Out
- Date: 17 & 18 June 2023
- Time: 10.30am – 5.30pm
- Admission: Free
Live on the Lawn: Dragon Boat Evening Fun!
- Date: 17 & 18 June 2023
- Time: 5pm – 6pm
- Admission: Free
- 5pm-5.30pm: Dragon Boat Festival Show
- 5.30pm-6pm: Mini Dragon Boat Racing
Children Activity Booklets Giveaway
- Date: 17 & 18 June 2023
- Time: 10am – 7pm
Guided Tours & Trails
Balestier Heritage Healthcare Trail
- Date: 17 & 18 June 2023
- Time: 10.30am – 12pm (English), 11am – 12.30pm (Mandarin)
- Admission: $12 per pax
Special Exhibition Guided Tour
- Date: 17 June 2023
- Time: 10.30am (Mandarin) and 1.30pm (English)
- Admission: Free; limited spaces available
Permanent Galleries Guided Tour
- Date: 17 & 18 June 2023
- Time: 2.30pm – 3.30pm (Mandarin), 3pm – 4pm (English)
- Admission: Free; limited spaces available
Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2023
- Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
- Date: 17 & 18 June 2023 Time: 10am – 7pm
- Admission: Free admission with ticketed activities
For more information about the Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival, please visit Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall’s website (https://www.sysnmh.org.sg) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/sysnmh) throughout the festival period.
Please visit https://wanqingyuan.peatix.com to purchase tickets/register for the above list of events and activities taking place during SYSNMH Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2023.
* A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R6 Mark II Explorer Series Production *