The first floor of this museum mainly tells the story of trade in Singapore. The remnants from trade that are displayed beautifully in this museum are actually retrieved from the Java Sea, which is located southeast of Singapore from the 9th century.
So what does this show to modern people today?
The trade items from the 9th century help shows the diffusion and trade of goods, ideas, and culture around Singapore. The pieces in the cargo from this shipwreck were ceramics from the Tang dynasty in China and several natural luxuries, such as gold and silver. This also shows the history of how Singapore was able to become one of the world's greatest trading port.
The whole recollection was able to be displayed in the museum thanks to Mr. Khoo Teck Puat, who donated these ceramics to the museum. Mr. Khoo Teck Puat was one of the wealthiest man in Singapore, as he held a huge share of the Standard Chartered bank. He has multiple buildings under his name, including SAS' High School Library and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
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