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.
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