A guided experience through the Harmony in Diversity Gallery and Telok Ayer Street offers a deeper understanding of Singapore’s unique model of religious coexistence.
Singapore, 29 May 2025 – Singapore is known for its vibrant tapestry of cultures, races, and religions. As a society built on shared values of respect and understanding, the city-state has long embraced its diversity as a source of strength. A key initiative that celebrates this unity is the Harmony in Diversity Gallery (HDG)—a space dedicated to promoting appreciation for the country’s interfaith and multicultural heritage.
Located at the MND Building Annex B on Maxwell Road, the gallery offers an immersive tour experience that takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. The visit includes a 45-minute indoor gallery tour and an additional 45-minute outdoor walking trail through Telok Ayer and Amoy Streets—historic roads known as Singapore’s “Streets of Harmony.”
These streets are home to several places of worship, standing within metres of one another: the Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church, Al-Abrar Mosque, Thian Hock Keng Temple, Yu Huang Gong, and the Nagore Dargah (Indian Muslim Heritage Centre)—many of which are gazetted as National Monuments. While visitors do not enter these places of worship, trained docents share brief histories of each site, including accounts of two significant riots that took place along Telok Ayer Street in the 1800s.
If the weather or time does not permit the outdoor segment, it is substituted with a 15-minute video presentation in the seminar room adjacent to the gallery. However, visitors are strongly encouraged to participate in the outdoor trail for a fuller experience.
Guided tours are free of charge, but late cancellation fees apply if notice is given fewer than three working days in advance, as docents are scheduled ahead of time.
The Harmony in Diversity Gallery stands as a proud reflection of Singapore’s dedication to nurturing a cohesive, inclusive society—where cultural richness and religious diversity are not just acknowledged, but actively celebrated.
For more details, including directions and tour confirmation, click here.
For additional historical context on Telok Ayer Street, click here.
Source: IN Diplomacy Reporters
