This terrace house is being transformed into a natural history museum by local artists

Imagine stepping into a two-storey terrace house in Chip Bee Gardens and discovering a labyrinth-like museum of curiosities awaiting inside. Intrigued? The Bizarre Honour is a fictional institution displaying an eclectic collection of more than 300 natural objects dating from colonial times to the modern era. The natural history museum, created as a collab between OH! Open House and a team of local artists, contains artefacts collected over 15 years to showcase Singapore’s relationship with nature.

The famous ficus benjamina along Kallang Basin by the former boat-building docks in 1906. Photo: OH! Open House

Here, you won’t find any guides, labels or explanations — you may not even realise what’s art and what’s artefact. The only thing that’ll help you figure out the mysteries of the museum is the dossier you’re presented with upon entrance. In it, you’ll find memos, photos and classified info about the exhibits.

Souvenir postcard of The Rock, Singapore circa 1900s. Photo: OH! Open House

Oh, and get this. The experience is super exclusive and private — only two visitors are allowed into the museum at any point in time. Expect to spend about 30 minutes browsing through rare colonial photos, taxidermy, animal traps, tropical field equipment and more.

The Bizarre Honour is on from Jan 13-15 & 20-22, Fri 6.30pm-9pm & Sat-Sun 10am-8pm at Chip Bee Gardens (exact address to be revealed). $45, includes 80-page hand-assembled dossier. Part of Singapore Art Week.



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