The National Gallery Singapore partially reopened on 9 September after a fire earlier in the day forced an evacuation and temporary closure.
According to the gallery, the City Hall Wing and Padang Atrium were declared safe following checks by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and reopened at 12pm.
The former Supreme Court Wing remains closed for investigations and will reopen on 10 September. The gallery stated that safety of visitors, staff, and collections remains its top priority.
The incident began around 9.05am, when SCDF was alerted to a fire at 1 Saint Andrew’s Road. SCDF said the fire involved an electrical control panel on level one.
The blaze was extinguished before SCDF’s arrival by the premises’ company emergency response team using a dry powder extinguisher. SCDF confirmed that the cause of the fire is under investigation.
The gallery emphasised in its update that the fire occurred in staff-only access areas, with no reported injuries. It added that no artworks suffered damage.
As a precaution, all visitors and staff were evacuated from the building during the incident. Programmes were also disrupted, including the cancellation of a lunchtime film screening at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium scheduled for 12.30pm. The gallery said it would provide updates on evening screenings closer to time.
The public has been advised to follow the gallery’s website, hotline, and social media channels for further information.
National Gallery Singapore occupies the historic former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings. Since its opening in 2015, it has hosted the world’s largest public collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian modern art.
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