Baba House, Singapore Overview

Built in the 1890s, Baba House is the beautifully restored and renovated three-story ancestral home of a Peranakan Chinese family. Located at 157 Neil Road at the heart of Singapore’s Blair Plain district, it is a place that excites visitors who are eager to learn more about the life of the Peranakan Chinese people residing here at the early part of the twentieth century.

The house had belonged to the Wee family of Peranakan Chinese origin earlier until it had been acquired by the “National University of Singapore (NUS)” in 2006. Opened to the public in 2008 and renamed as NUS Baba House. Meticulously renovated while paying attention to the slightest detail, Baba House offers a fantastic journey into the early 20th century home of a prominent Straits Chinese family. A glorious collection of furniture, textiles, ceramics, calligraphy and a variety of other domestic and ornamental objects, have been displayed in the first and second levels of the house. The third level houses a gallery of temporary exhibitions on Peranakan themes. Managed by the university, Baba House is not only conceived as a heritage house, but also a learning centre for architectural conservation, social history, and cultural hybridity.

Heritage Tour

International tourists are taken on an hour-long tour through the heritage Baba House thereby experiencing life of a Straits Chinese family in the 1920s. There are a number of valuable artefacts owned previously by the owner of the home on display. Of particular interest is the master bedroom replete with gold & red twin bridal beds that have been preserved perfectly to this day.

Timings- The tour is scheduled to take place from Tuesdays through Fridays at 10:00 AM

Cost- Citizens and permanent residents of Singapore along with students holding valid passes and staff members plus alumni of NUS enjoy a free tour. All others have to pay SGD 10 for taking part in the heritage tour.

How To Book- Each visit requires a prior appointment with the heritage tours being available via online booking on the 15th of every month. Tourists are welcome to book two months in advance.

Terms And Conditions

People eager to obtain free entry need to enter CONC under the promotional code while purchasing a valid ticket.
Students and staff members of NUS have to show a valid identity proof when entering the house.
The heritage tour is also available in Mandarin
Visitors are requested to remove their shoes before entering the 2nd & 3rd floors
Tourists can use elevators for reaching the upper floors

Exploring Baba House

NUS Baba House consists of three separate floors with an open courtyard right in the front that leads to the reception hall via the pintu pagar (an adorned fence door). The ancestral hall of the Wee family, as well as the kitchen, is behind the reception area. The hall could have served as the living room of the owner and his family. An air well occupies the bigger end of this room at present.

The second floor houses two bedrooms with the master bedroom containing the beautiful bridal beds. The topmost floor had been added to the original house much later in 1910 with the room serving as an extra bedroom. However, this room had been renovated and transformed into a spacious Art & exhibition gallery during the restoration process.

Collection & Highlights

The Straits Chinese Collection containing more than 2000 artefacts are displayed within the Baba House. Almost all the old heirlooms and other articles used by the original owner i.e. the Wee family remain intact to this day and can be viewed by the visitors. The objects are categorized neatly and displayed under furniture and wood carvings, documents & books, porcelain and photographs, costumes, textiles & paintings, kitchen utensils, lacquerware, electrical appliances and other fixtures. Some of the latest additions have been in the form of photographs and paintings that had been included in two exhibitions namely, Inherited and Salvaged: Family Portraits from the Straits Chinese Collection and Dressing the Baba: Recent Donations of Portraits.

How to Reach Baba House

MRT: Tourists can take the train to Outram Park Station and reach the venue by taking Exit G

Bus

Neil Road is well connected by bus services. Visitors are free to take the buses numbered 61, 166, 167, 196, 197 to reach the road.
Buses 2, 12, 54, 61, 120, 121, 122, 124, 143, 147, 166, 167, 174, 190, 196, 197, 961, CT8, CT18 go upto Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Rd Bus Terminal
Buses 61, 124,143, 147, 166, 197, 961 also reach the Outram Park Railway Station from where the visitors can follow Exit F to reach the destination.

Car

Visitors driving from AYE need to reach ECP/Keppel Road by following the signs and then turn into Keppel Road via Exit 2B. The Cantonment Road and Cantonment Link lie to the left and the next left turn brings the individual on Neil Road, the location of the house.
Ones arriving from ECP/MCE have to exit through 1A to reach Keppel Road. Taking a right turn brings them to Cantonment Link and a left turn helps them reach Cantonment Road. The rest of the way is identical to the description above.
The tourists who start from CTE need to reach City/PIE by taking exit 1B onto the Chin Swee Road (Outram Road). Turning left will bring them to Cantonment Road and Neil Road will come up by turning right thereafter.
The nearest parking area is available at the Singapore Heart Centre and Everton Road Multi-Storey Car Park