The museum first opened at the Old Tao Nan School building on 22 April 1997[1] at Armenian Street, with exhibits largely centred on Chinese civilisation.

The South Asian Galleries feature statuary from a range of periods, including Chola bronzes such as a sculpture of Uma, the consort of Shiva and of Somaskanda.

[9] Other areas of note include South Indian woodwork, Nepali-Tibetan bronzes, textiles, late medieval miniatures and colonial prints.

The Khoo Teck Puat Gallery is the permanent home for the cargo recovered from the Tang Shipwreck, a sunken 9th century trading ship bound for Iran and Iraq, discovered in 1998 off Belitung Island in the Java Sea.

The recovered cargo comprises more than 60,000 well-preserved ceramics produced in China during the Tang dynasty (618–907), as well as objects of gold and silver.

[10] The museum has a restaurant, Empress, featuring traditional Chinese dishes in a contemporary setting, and a café, Privé ACM, offering all day dining.