Raffles In Southeast Asia

Sir Stamford Raffles was a British official with the East India Company and was stationed in Southeast Asia between 1805 and 1824. He is known for establishing modern Singapore as a British port, as the author of The History of Java, and as a collector of natural history and cultural materials. Opinions of Raffles have changed over time. He has been viewed as a scholarly expert on the region, a progressive reformer, a committed imperialist, and even a plagiariser.

In keeping with the Asian Civilisations Museum’s mission to explore encounters and connections, this exhibition presents a complex, multi-layered picture of Raffles while showcasing the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Java and the Malay world.

The presentation of this exhibition is a collaboration between the British Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore.

For more information, please visit Asian Civilisations Museum's website.