Breaking Away from Top‑Down Narratives: A Case Study of ArCH Square in Singapore

LIM Xiangyi Shermaine

Archaeology has long been a gated discipline, where technical expertise demarcated a distinction between the professional practitioner and the layperson. With this differentiation, the heritage professional was inscribed with the right and ability to interpret and delineate to the passive consumer of the layperson how archaeology related to the heritage discourse, and how this heritage discourse should then translate into the layperson’s sense of identity. In Singapore, it can be said that the professional authority of archaeology has been leveraged by various heritage institutions to construct a notion of heritage that is palatable to the state. In it, archaeology does not interrogate the dominant discourse that pedestals Singapore’s colonial past. Rather, the pre‑colonial history uncovered through archaeology plays a supporting role in propping up said discourse. However, in recent years, the state’s emphasis on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) as a relatable means for laypersons to connect with their heritage, and thus cultural identity, has reduced the hierarchical nature of the field. Arguably, this focus on ICH for its fostering of public engagement has also allowed for a more community‑based approach to archaeology. In particular, the launch of ArCH Square in 2025 as the region’s first outreach centre dedicated to archaeology and ICH has levelled the pedestalling of heritage professionals. Through an analysis of ArCH Square’s programming, from its exhibition of archaeological materials to its pedagogical methodology, this presentation will investigate how the centre reinscribes the layperson’s autonomy to participate in archaeology and its ensuing heritage discourse.