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SINGAPORE – A cute robot cat will invade the National Museum of Singapore until December 27.
Doraemon may not seem like an obvious programming choice for a history museum, but director Chung May Khuen notes that the Japanese cartoon character is a beloved pop culture icon in Singapore.
Noting that the show has been dubbed into Malay and is still on television today, the self-confessed Doraemon fan says, “Singaporeans have been watching Doraemon since the 1980s. It does play a role in our growing years.”
In addition to a line of Doraemon figures marching through the museum’s front garden, fans of the cartoon character can take my Instagram selfies in the booths scattered around the building. Of course, there will be a door to anywhere for fans to imagine being transported to a destination of their choice. Devotees can also shop for limited edition merchandise designed by local lifestyle brand Supermama.
There will also be an interactive online trail, called Let’s Jalan-Jalan !, launching on Saturday (October 31) where armchair explorers can learn fun facts about 14 neighborhoods with an island-wide search.
The exhibition, Doraemon’s Time Travel Adventures in Singapore, has been in the works for a year and a half and was in danger of being canceled due to complications posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
But Ms Chung, 46, says the team kept the project going: “Due to the pandemic, it is even more important that we have Doraemon in the museum. I can imagine the happiness we bring to our audience, especially in this Difficult moment”.
Slight relief aside, there’s a more serious intention behind this crowd-pleasing move. The installation is in line with the museum’s new positioning as a village museum. Ms Chung says that beyond presenting a cute icon, the Doraemon installation has been curated with highlights from the museum’s collections from the 1960s to the 1980s: “It is the fusion of contemporary with historical aspect. . We mark the important milestones. “
The pandemic has prompted the museum to seriously think about the role and function of the institution, adding: “We have a very important role in various aspects of people’s lives. The museum is not just about Singapore’s history or history. of civilizations, but also of our role.
“Increasingly, as we look at the depressing conditions and circumstances, we also think about how the museum can be a social space for people, how it relates to the well-being and mental health of our audience.”
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Reserve
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What: Doraemon’s time travel adventures in Singapore
Where: National Museum of Singapore
When: Until December 27
Admission: Free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents
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