Chinatown Heritage Centre

Management of Museum

Chinatown Heritage Centre

In 2016, Journeys, partnering with Singapore River Cruises and Splash Entertainment, was
appointed by STB to manage the rejuvenated Chinatown Heritage Centre (CHC).

The centre was located in three historic shophouses along Pagoda Street. The interior of
the shophouses was recreated to resemble authentic living cubicles from the 1950s to
showcase the overcrowded living conditions of the early immigrants from China.

Ambient soundscapes and audio conversations offered a glimpse into the lives of the occupants. To further create an immersive experience for its visitors, CHC also engaged and trained guides to provide character guided tours of the spaces, such as the Samsui women, at select timings throughout the day.

SHC conducted extensive research and crafted a multimedia guided tour for visitors to
be able to put themselves in the shoes of cubicle occupants – Trishaw Rider, Carpenter,
Hawker, Samsui Woman, Clog Maker and Family of Eight. Visitors could see the resourcefulness, resilience, and sense of community required in dealing with challenges
and adversities.

CHC proved incredibly successful amongst tourists and locals, positioning itself as the
gateway to discovering Chinatown. CHC also welcomed numerous school groups for their
learning journeys as well.

In 2018, CHC was ranked the number three museum in Singapore and number 24 museum in Asia according to TripAdvisor. Visitorship to the museum in 2019 reached a total of 247,000 pax.

Unfortunately, due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the travel and tourism
industry, JPL and its partners made the difficult decision to return the operations of the centre, back to STB in 2021.