The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), in collaboration with international tea brand CHAGEE and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), today announced the launch of Garden of Senses: A Tea Reverie, an immersive showcase that explores tea as a deeply human ritual shaped by centuries of craftsmanship, stories, and practices, while continuing to evolve through modern creativity. The showcase will run daily from 28 January 2026 to 7 June 2026 at the Asian Civilisations Museum.
Garden of Senses: A Tea Reverie invites visitors to re-experience tea beyond taste or smell, but also through our ability to see, touch, hear and think, hence reconnecting us back to the core of what defines us as human beings. Through this multi-sensory journey, the showcase reveals how tea drinking reflects human life itself, turning a simple cup into a moment of mindfulness, one that spans cultures and time.
Tripartite Collaboration Reimagines Tea Heritage
“This co-curated showcase marks the Asian Civilisations Museum’s first collaboration with a global lifestyle brand,” said Clement Onn, Director of the Asian Civilisations Museum and Peranakan Museum. “Through this partnership with CHAGEE and the Singapore Tourism Board, we have the exciting opportunity to reimagine the experience of tea heritage. By integrating our museum collections with contemporary practices, we offer visitors a fresh, multi-sensory way to engage with cultural traditions. The history and art of tea are multifaceted, influencing diverse Asian cultures. This collaboration allows us to explore tea’s universal role in daily life and reflect on its enduring significance across regions and throughout history.”
Building on this shared vision, the partnership also reflects CHAGEE’s ambition to deepen global understanding of tea culture beyond the cup. “Tea has always been a cultural connector, bringing people together across generations and geographies,” said Lawrence Wen, CEO, CHAGEE Singapore. “At CHAGEE, we see tea as something deeply human – found in shared moments, conversations, and everyday life. Through this exhibition, we’re proud to collaborate with the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Singapore Tourism Board to invite visitors to experience tea not just as heritage, but as a living ritual that continues to evolve in modern life.”
This tripartite partnership also exemplifies STB’s approach to creating an attractive destination through new marketing initiatives with global brands and local attractions in Singapore. Such collaborations showcase Singapore’s vibrancy and dynamic character – from the country’s rich cultural tapestry and interconnected communities to its forward-thinking creative scene.
Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Marketing Group), Singapore Tourism Board
said, “This collaborative showcase reflects each organisation’s unique strengths – Asian Civilisations Museum’s cultural insights, CHAGEE’s leadership in modern tea culture and STB’s destination storytelling capabilities, to serve up a fresh and compelling experience for visitors to enjoy. By catalysing partnerships between local attractions and international brands in unconventional ways, these initiatives strengthen Singapore’s position as an exciting hub for new experiences, enhancing our destination appeal and captivating audiences seeking authentic and innovative experiences.”
A Curated Journey Through the Art of Tea
Garden of Senses: A Tea Reverie unfolds as a progressive journey that brings together historic collections, contemporary interpretations and new artistic commissions from local creatives, including Ashley Yeo and Alecia Neo, who explore tea through their own contemporary perspectives. Inviting visitors to immerse in the spirit of stillness and contemplation, Ashley Yeo’s shade of tea evokes tea leaves in floating paper forms. Yeo’s artistic practice creates quiet, atmospheric works that explore slowness, materiality, and contemplative modes of perception. Contrastingly, Symphony of Tea by Alecia Neo and composer Clarence Chung, with videography by Jonathan Goh and sound recording by Wesley Meow explores the symphonic experience of tea through sound, rhythm, gesture and human connection, inspired by Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos. This reflects Neo’s collaborative artistic practice based on photography, video and participatory artworks that address modes of radical hospitality and care.
Across the exhibition, visitors will encounter sculptural installations inspired by tea leaves, immersive soundscapes, fragrance-led experiences, and tactile explorations of tea-making tools, These encounters continue to shape present-day practices and creative expression.
Historic tea wares, as 3D-printed replicas, alongside contemporary CHAGEE cups, and nature-inspired communal spaces invite visitors to pause, share, and reflect. Together, these elements mirror the social rituals that have long surrounded tea, positioning it not just as a cultural artefact, but as a living practice that continues to connect people today.
Exclusive Pop-up Experience by the Singapore River
The exhibition experience will be further extended through a CHAGEE pop-up along the Singapore River and will offer a full selection of beverages, as well as merchandise previously accessible only in China.
CHAGEE’s museum pop-up will also feature the exclusive launch of two specially designed CHAGEE plush charms, including a limited-edition light blue variant available exclusively to showcase ticket holders. The light brown variant will be offered to all walk-in customers. Both charms combine a horse — paying homage to the ancient tea routes where tea was traded across borders via horseback — with Singapore’s iconic Merlion, celebrating the nation’s historical origins as the Lion City, creating a bridge between tea heritage and Singapore’s cultural identity.
Garden of Senses: A Tea Reverie is presented as part of the Asian Civilisations Museum’s All Access ticket, priced at S$25 for tourists and S$12 for Singaporeans and PRs. All Access grants visitors admission to all exhibitions at the museum on the day of their visit.
Tickets and further details are available at https://www.nhb.gov.sg/acm/whats-on/exhibitions/garden-of-senses, and via Trip.com, the exclusive Online Travel Agency (OTA) ticketing platform for the showcase.
Hi-res assets of the Garden of Senses: A Tea Reverie and the artist biographies are available for download here.
