Asian Civilisations Museum

Housed in the elegant neoclassical Empress Place Building on the Singapore River, the ACM is devoted to the art and material culture of Asia — and to Singapore's own story as a multicultural trading port at the crossroads of the continent. Galleries trace the faiths, courts and trade routes that linked China, India, Southeast Asia and the Islamic world. Its showpiece is the Tang Shipwreck collection: more than 60,000 gold, silver and ceramic objects recovered from a 9th-century Arab dhow that sank off Indonesia — a stunning record of early maritime trade. The building and riverside setting are lovely in their own right. Budget around two hours; it pairs naturally with the nearby National Gallery.