The Heritage Conservation Centre (Singapore) is hosting a five-day workshop on archaeological collection care and conservation, with a focus on Singapore and the wider Southeast Asian region.

Day one of the workshop will focus on archaeological collection care within a Singaporean context, with days two to five focusing on archaeological conservation more broadly.

To help build capabilities and knowledge of archaeological collection care and conservation within Singapore and Southeast Asia, the theoretical lectures of this workshop will be livestreamed to increase access to students and professionals in these fields.

The livestream will be hosted on Microsoft Teams, and the link will be shared with registered attendees shortly before the start of the workshop.

Speakers:

Dr. Franca Cole

Franca Cole, archaeologist and conservator with a PhD from Cambridge, is a leading expert in archaeological conservation and collections management. Currently consulting for Sarawak Museum and lecturing at Nanyang Technological University, she brings extensive international experience to her work. Dr Cole specializes in sustainable conservation approaches for extreme climates, bridging academic research with practical museum applications.

Mr. Michael Ng

Michael Ng is an Assistant Curator (Maritime Archaeology) at the Asian Civilisations Museum. He has been involved in terrestrial and underwater archaeological projects in Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia, and Jordan since 2009. His research interests include Southeast Asian archaeology and history, particularly maritime and coastal archaeology, military history and archaeology, public archaeology, trade ceramics, and mollusc ecofacts.

Mr. Aaron Kao

As a scholarship recipient, Aaron received his formal training at the University of Oxford after serving 13 years as a volunteer and a Research Officer at the ISEAS Archaeology Unit. He has taken part in many rescue digs in Singapore and research projects—including ISEAS-led field schools—in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Indonesia. His interest in indigenous low-fired pottery has led him to explore various underrepresentation about ancient Singapore such as traditional pottery making, the Maritime Cultural Landscape, and foodways. In addition to his interest in WW2 battlefield archaeology, Aaron also applies his fine art skills as an archaeological illustrator.

About the Heritage Conservation Centre

The Heritage Conservation Centre (HCC) is an institution of the National Heritage Board (NHB). Located in a purpose-built building, HCC is the repository and conservation facility for the management and preservation of Singapore’s National Collection. HCC supports the collecting, display, and research activities of 12 institutions under NHB and the Visual Arts Cluster, and plays a leading role in heritage conservation in Singapore.

About the National Heritage Board

The National Heritage Board (NHB) is the custodian of Singapore’s heritage. We are responsible for telling the Singapore story, sharing the Singaporean experience and imparting our Singapore spirit.

NHB's mission is to preserve and celebrate the shared heritage of our diverse communities, for the purpose of education, nation-building and cultural understanding. It manages the national museums and heritage institutions, and sets policies relating to heritage sites, National Monuments and the National Collection. Through the National Collection, NHB curates heritage programmes and presents exhibitions to connect the past, present and future generations of Singaporeans.

Archaeological Collection Care and Conservation Workshop