Singapore Art Museum opened in 1996 as the first art museum in Singapore. Also known as SAM, we present contemporary art from a Southeast Asian perspective for artists, art lovers and the art curious in multiple venues across the island, including a new venue in the historic port area of Tanjong Pagar.

SAM is building one of the world's most important public collections of Southeast Asian contemporary art, with the aim of connecting the art and the artists to the public and future generations through exhibitions and programmes.  SAM is working towards a humane and sustainable future by committing to responsible practices within its processes.  

Our Vision

SAM will inspire humane and sustainable futures through transformative, thought-provoking and meaningful everyday encounters with art of our times.

Our Mission

SAM will present contemporary art from a Southeast Asian perspective in active dialogue, discovery and collaboration with our constituents; through our collection, research, exhibitions and programmes.

Contemporary art is created by artists living and practicing in the here-and-now, particularly the 21st century. Contemporary art may be regarded as both art of the present-day, as well as art of a historical category, that for the Southeast Asia region may be seen as emerging from the 1970s, and in the case of Singapore, reaching a critical juncture in the 1990s.
 
Contemporary art reflects on contemporary society and the issues surrounding people and the world we live in. The areas that contemporary art explores include our everyday realities, questions about personal, cultural and national identity, and reflections of humanity’s impact on the environment. 
 
Contemporary artists work in a wide range of mediums, and their artworks can be multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. Contemporary art utilises a combination of materials and methods, and concepts play a prominent part to challenge traditional boundaries and ideas of how art is defined—or even what constitutes art.
 
When engaging with contemporary art, viewers are encouraged to consider whether the work is "thought-provoking" or "interesting". Beyond asking "Is this work aesthetically pleasing?", viewers can also reflect if the artwork questions the status quo, or changes perspectives on an issue.