What if your passion could be something more for society? In 2017, multiple visits to the National Museum would see Joy realise the joys that the museum brought, so why not do more? Since 2018, Joy has served as a museum host and now a docent, as she guides visitors in learning more about Singapore's history.
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Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
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CreativityTranscript
00:00After I became a volunteer, I've realised that I've become more proactive
00:03and also would like to think for the others more.
00:07Like, more caring.
00:14Hi, I'm Joy.
00:16I have been volunteering at the National Museum of Singapore
00:19as the museum host since 2018.
00:21I started off as a very active visitor.
00:24I came to the museum around 2017.
00:29So, I enjoy the exhibitions and the environment at the museum.
00:33So, I realised that there's a lot of things to learn and see.
00:37It's really a good opportunity to be able to share what I have known here
00:41to the others and help them enhance their visitor experience at the museum.
00:46Well, the National Museum of Singapore is also considered as one of the oldest museums.
00:51It started as early as 1849.
00:54I've been volunteering frequently, probably around on a monthly basis.
00:58So, we have a few time slots to select from the schedule provided.
01:04So, each duty covers two hours.
01:06So, being a museum host is basically being the ambassador of the museum.
01:11So, we have the chance to interact with visitors all over the world.
01:15We engage and answer their enquiries.
01:18And best of all, we are able to provide recommendations
01:21about how is the best way to explore the museum itself.
01:25I think museums are important because they not only house the artefacts,
01:30but also serve as a place for communities to come together
01:34to understand our Singapore history better
01:37and be able to learn through the stories from our previous generations.
01:54Hello.
01:55Hello.
01:56Hi.
01:57You want to try this out?
01:58It's a free event.
01:59What do you offer?
02:00This one, free event.
02:01You can just get any set here and then you can do some paintings.
02:02Okay.
02:03Yeah, paintings.
02:04And then you can keep the pot.
02:05Oh, you like this one?
02:06Yeah.
02:08What do you offer?
02:09This one, free event.
02:10You can just get any set here and then you can do some paintings.
02:11Okay.
02:12Yeah, paintings.
02:13And then you can keep the pot.
02:14Which ones here?
02:15Oh, you like this one?
02:16Yeah.
02:17What does that mean?
02:18Which country are you from?
02:19From France.
02:20Nice.
02:21How did you find the weather?
02:22Very hot?
02:23Yes, it is very hot.
02:24Very, very hot.
02:25Yeah.
02:26Yes.
02:27Yeah.
02:28Did you find the weather very hot?
02:30Yes, it is very hot.
02:31Very, very hot, yeah.
02:49I started off as a very active visitor
02:52because I like to explore galleries and exhibitions.
02:56So when the chance came around in the year 2017,
03:01I applied for the applications for the role itself.
03:06This role is quite unique
03:07because it's more of like a front-line basis
03:10but it's of a non-guiding role.
03:11It's really nice.
03:13I don't think I can even paint like this.
03:15It's very creative, it's very unique.
03:19This role is a very enriching and rewarding experience.
03:23So I get to meet a lot of people with similar interests
03:27and most importantly, pick up new skills
03:29like for example, public speaking.
03:31Also, learn a bit more of the new knowledge
03:34like more about Singapore history,
03:37about how we can explain those difficult, complicated histories
03:41to the visitors.
03:43And then be proud of our own personal identity.
03:47And then most importantly, is to step out of the comfort zone.
03:50So eventually, I moved on to expand my volunteering portfolio
03:55to other roles.
03:56So I also took up as a docent role in the year 2019
03:59at the National Museum of Singapore.
04:01So my favourite part of the museum
04:03is at the Singapore History Gallery.
04:05There's this painting that is painted by Percipa Cantor in 1856.
04:10It's a painting of the view of Singapore from Mount Warwick
04:14that portrays our busy seaport at the time.
04:17So if you come over and take a closer look,
04:20you can see, where is this place?
04:24A lot of different building structures here.
04:26So you can make a guess at which temple is it on.
04:30Actually, this one is at Teng Fook Gong.
04:32Teng Fook Gong.
04:33You know that one at Doi Ai?
04:35Initially, it was closer to the sea.
04:37So this is how it looks like in the past.
04:39So in the past, this is the structure itself.
04:41So the distance actually is closer to the sea.
04:45But now because they've already reclaimed the land, right?
04:48That's right.
04:49So through that painting, it also serves as a very good topic
04:52to discuss with the visitors about how it looks like in the past.
04:58My another favourite part of the museum
05:00is walking into the Story of the Forest.
05:03That digital installation is inspired from the William Farquhar's collection.
05:07It covers a lot of natural history drawings of plants and animals.
05:10So the moment you step in, right,
05:12you'll see those very nice flower petals
05:14like floating above your head and everything.
05:16And then you walk through the slope
05:18and you get to see all the different animals and plants moving.
05:22And they have a day and night version of this.
05:26Museum is a cultural touchpoint.
05:28For them, they go to the museum,
05:29they are able to go through the exhibitions
05:32and then through the artefacts,
05:33they will be able to understand better
05:36about what our previous generations have experienced.
05:41After I've been volunteering for some time,
05:44I realised that I've made some improvements.
05:47As in, I've become a more proactive person
05:49and be a better listener.
05:51And most importantly, I'm able to communicate with people,
05:55like different people from different backgrounds.
06:04So ever since I started this volunteering journey,
06:07I've shifted the focus from me to others.
06:09Every time I see anyone who needs help,
06:11I really want to help them with no reason.
06:15There are many different ways to get involved.
06:18One of the ways is contributing your time here, not money.
06:23So you guys should come to the museum
06:25and explore this place for yourself.
06:27So the National Heritage Fund has been very supportive
06:30and appreciative of our contributions.
06:33So they will host annual appreciation events.
06:37Since 2018, it's been five years,
06:39so I've learnt a lot and picked up a lot of new skills.
06:43I plan to commit on a long-term basis
06:46because I felt that it is really a very fruitful journey.
06:50I just want to help them with no reason.