NUS Baba House

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An architectural icon and Singapore's first heritage house, the NUS Baba House showcases the interio

Built around 1895, 157 Neil Road is a townhouse located in Singapore’s historic district of Tanjong Pagar. Once the ancestral home of a Straits Chinese (Peranakan Chinese) family, the property was acquired by the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2006 from funds donated by Ms Agnes Tan, a lady of Peranakan Chinese descent. Archaeological excavations and detailed studies of architectural features and construction materials were carried out followed by conservation and restoration works before the premises officially opened on 4 September 2008 under the stewardship of NUS Museum. Named ‘Baba House’, the project is conceived as a heritage house facilitating research, appreciation and reflection of the Straits Chinese history and culture. This is articulated through the conservation and reconstruction of a domestic space which exhibits the community’s material culture dating back to the early 20th century. Academic researchers and art practitioners are invited to use NUS Baba House as a resource to launch into explorations on evolving narratives about the Straits Chinese, as well as to conduct studies in a variety of disciplines including urban changes, traditional architecture and building conservation.

22/09/2026

NUS Baba House invites you to the final dates of the Blair Plain Neighbourhood Tours in 2026!

Join us in this walking tour around the quaint Blair Plain Conservation District as you discover the hidden histories of the neighbourhood and how cultural exchange and hybridity shaped the architecture, communities, and lived experiences of Singapore’s urban landscape.

Hurry and sign up in the link in the bio today!

15/09/2026

Heritage is not simply inherited, it is continually interpreted through the relationships we create with objects, places, and one another 🌐

Refrain, Reframe – Baba House Displaced reimagines one of Singapore's most significant historic house museums in transition. With the displacement of objects from their domestic settings, this exhibition embraces an open storage concept that recategorises objects through material, function, and relation, thereby inviting fresh inquiries into the histories of migration, exchange and care.

Beyond the reinterpretation of objects, the exhibition also offers a rare glimpse into the intricate and continual process of conserving a historic house museum. This is a unique opportunity to reconsider how heritage is encountered and understood when its familiar domestic setting is momentarily absent 🏡

The exhibition is now open at NUS Museum until Sept 2027. See you there!

02/07/2026

Meet Michelle F., one of the Baba House’s passionate docents, as she shares what inspired her to become a guide and her love for the Blair Plain neighbourhood. ✨

On her Blair Plain Neighbourhood Tour, discover the rich stories behind this historic enclave, from its architectural gems and community heritage to the people who helped shape the area into what it is today. Michelle also reveals some of her favourite stops along the trail, hidden details that make every walk a unique experience.

Whether you're a history enthusiast, architecture lover, or simply curious about Singapore’s heritage, there’s always something new to uncover with a Blair Plain Neighbourhood Tour. 🏠🌿

🔗 Sign up for a Blair Plain Neighbourhood Tour via the link in our bio!

26/06/2026

With Baba House under conservation, Blair Plain becomes the perfect place to explore how heritage evolves over time 🏡

What was once a residential enclave is now a mix of homes, cafés, and creative spaces - showing how neighbourhoods adapt to modern life.

Fun fact: Some conserved shophouses in the area have sold for millions in recent years, highlighting how these once working-class or family homes have transformed into symbols of wealth and status.

But with change comes an important question - what do we preserve, and what do we let go?

Join us on the Blair Plain Neighbourhood Tour as we explore this evolving story together.

Sign up via the link in bio ✨

19/06/2026

Baba House might be closed for now, but some of its most interesting stories lie just behind it - literally 👀

Walk into the back lanes of Blair Plain and you’ll find spaces that were once alive with daily activity - children playing, laundry hanging, hawkers cooking, and neighbours gathering.

Fun fact: Back lanes weren’t always part of these homes - they were introduced in the 1940s for sanitation and fire safety, forcing existing houses to be split and rebuilt.

Today, these spaces still blur the line between public and private life in fascinating ways
Come walk along these back lanes with us and experience this hidden side of the neighbourhood.

Join the Blair Plain Neighbourhood Tour via the link in bio 👣

10/06/2026

With NUS Baba House currently under conservation, the stories don’t stop, they just move beyond its walls 👣🏠

Step into Blair Plain, where the neighbourhood itself becomes a living extension of Baba House. From ornately decorated shophouses to quiet back lanes, this area reveals how people once lived, worked, and built community.

Fun fact: The famous blue exterior of Baba House was uncovered through paint scraping tests revealing “laundry blue,” a pigment historically used to make white fabrics appear brighter. Conservators chose to preserve this original detail, even though blue was considered inauspicious in Peranakan culture.

Join us as we take the stories beyond the House and into the streets.

Sign up for the Blair Plain Neighbourhood Tour via the link in bio to find out more!

29/05/2026

Be among the first to experience the stories and heritage of the Blair Plain Neighbourhood with NUS Baba House’s new walking tour!

Join us in this 1-hour walking tour around the quaint Blair Plain Conservation District as you discover the hidden histories of the neighbourhood and how cultural exchange and hybridity shaped the architecture, communities, and lived experiences of Singapore’s urban landscape.

Hurry and sign up in the link in the bio today!

Address

No. 157 Neil Road
Singapore
088883

Telephone

+6562275731

Website

http://babahouse.nus.edu.sg/

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