Katong Antique House
Peranakan antiques and artefacts in a family house-museum
Katong Antique House is the perfect place to experience life in a Peranakan family home. The two-storied shophouse is located in Katong area in the East of Singapore, where many old Peranakan families live. Founded by Mr. Peter Wee, a fourth generation Peranakan, the Katong Antique House is more than a museum, it is a tableau of the Peranakan presence in Singapore.
The Peranakans refer to the descendants of Chinese who immigrated to the Malayan Peninsula and the Indonesia Archipelago in 13th century. They adopted some Malay traditions while retaining some of their own; some say they retained the original Chinese traditions much better than the Chinese who remained in China as they were unaffected by the eradication of culture during the Cultural Revolution. They eventually went on to develop their own culture and language based on that of their adopted countries. When Singapore was colonized in 1819, some Peranakans moved to the tiny island state and befriended the English colonialists, thus beginning their history in Singapore which Mr. Peter Wee has spent his life striving to preserve. This jam-packed Singapore antique museum preserves the fading remnants of a uniquely mixed culture.
Visit by appointment only; 45min tour – 15 SGD.
