SINGAPORE.- National Gallery Singapore today announced its visitorship for its two-week opening celebrations. More than 170,000 visitors viewed the Gallery’s exhibitions and participated in a diverse programme of art-related activities, exceeding initial expectations by over 40 per cent in numbers.

Share the Hope art carnival stood out as a crowd favourite with more than 20 free events and activities during the two weeks. The multi-sensory art extravaganza attracted more than 86,000 visitors to the Padang and into the Gallery when it was held from 27 to 29 November. The Keppel Centre for Art Education, the region’s first dedicated art education facility also proved popular and received 21,000 visitors.

“We are heartened and thankful that so many visitors from all walks of life including families and friends, Singaporeans and tourists alike, came to celebrate the opening of the Gallery with us. The response and participation of the public is extremely encouraging as we strive to deliver a truly unique experience for all our visitors, to make this the people’s museum,” said Ms Chong Siak Ching, CEO of National Gallery Singapore.

The Gallery Explorer app also received wide interest among the Gallery’s visitors. Close to 7,000 users have downloaded the mobile app since it was launched on 18 November. Created in collaboration with the Gallery’s Innovation Partner Accenture, the app enables intelligent indoor navigation across the 64,000 square metres of the total area of the Gallery, proactively giving information on the art in the vicinity. The app is also integrated with social media capabilities, allowing users to share their experiences with friends and create conversations about the art at the museum. The app is available in four languages: English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

Following the conclusion of the opening celebrations, Singapore Citizens, PRs and children (six years and under) will continue to enjoy free admission for the two permanent galleries DBS Singapore Gallery and the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery, Keppel Centre for Art Education, the Wu Guanzhong and Chua Ek Kay exhibitions as well as selected exhibitions.