Entrance of the museum with wood recycled from the old National Stadium
Coming face to face with her childhood idol and local sporting icon, Fandi Ahmad, was not on Rohayah’s bingo cards during her two years as a gallery sitter at the Singapore Sports Museum. A cheerleader for local football side Home United (now known as Lion City Sailors) in her younger days, the 53-year-old still recalls her encounter with the footballing legend fondly.
“I managed to take a selfie with him and we exchanged some small talk,” she said, beaming at the memory.
Since opening in October 2014 at the Singapore Sports Hub, the museum has been no stranger to surprise visits from Singapore’s sporting luminaries.
Just ask Rohayah’s co-worker, Joseph Yong, who met former International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president and chairman of the inaugural Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee Ng Ser Miang during a routine shift.
The two mascots of the Youth Olympic Games: Lyo & Merly
“We have an exhibit for the Youth Olympic Games with a video that showcases Mr Ng, the Youth Olympic Chairman, and the video was on repeat. One day, I was on duty at the main entrance, and I saw him approach the counter… I asked him if he was Mr Ng Ser Miang, and he was shocked that I could recognise him. And I told him, ‘Yes, because I see your face every day.’ That brought a smile to his face,” Joseph recounted with a chuckle.
Finding their calling
For Joseph, who has spent the past four years tending to the 2,200 sqm compound, the gallery sitter role was a match made in heaven given his deep-rooted passion for sports.
Growing up in Farrer Park, the 68-year-old had a front-row seat to the birth of Singapore sports. The neighbourhood, long considered hallowed ground in local sports heritage, was a cradle for sporting talent from the 1940s to the 1980s.
From his backyard, Joseph watched legends in the making. Former national football captain Seak Poh Leong, Malaysia Cup icons Mat Noh and Dollah Kassim, and hurdling queen Heather Merican were just a few of the athletes who trained just a stone’s throw from his home.
Football memorabilia from Singapore Die-Hard Fans founder Mohammad Akbar Hashim
“Most of our exhibits showcase sporting history from my generation, and I was born at the centre of the local sports scene in Farrer Park,” the sexagenarian said. “I am from the Merdeka generation, and this museum is a piece of Singapore’s sporting history. I was very interested (to take on this job), because I had experienced the sporting achievements of those times,” he shared.
“Before working here, I didn’t know the sacrifices (that the athletes) made.”
For Rohayah, who previously worked at the National Art Gallery, sports was unfamiliar ground. But her time at the museum has sparked a deeper appreciation for it.
“I learned more about our sporting history, even though I was not into sports before this. And I realised that the museum was a way to show a greater appreciation for our athletes,” she said.
Joseph and Rohayah explaining about the official 2022 Fifa World Cup match ball
Quietly running the show
These days, the pair are near-experts on local sports history, often fielding questions from curious museumgoers about the exhibits.
But Joseph and Rohayah’s duties as gallery sitters still centre around ensuring the safety and well-being of museumgoers and the upkeep of artefacts.
Often the unsung heroes behind the museum’s operations, the pair also handle logistical support for the guided tours and oversee the cleanliness and overall maintenance of the compound.
Pillars showcasing Singapore’s early sporting facilities
In perfect sync
With years of experience under their belt and strong teamwork, the pair have since developed a seamless chemistry when carrying out their duties.
“We know what to do. It is automatic, we know where to position ourselves,” Rohayah said.
“She has been a very good assistant to me. She already knows what to do even if I don’t mention it,” Joseph added.
It is this well-oiled partnership that has kept the museum running like clockwork.
Hidden Demands of the Role
But Joseph admits that the job does come with its fair share of challenges.
“A lot of people think that our job is easy because we just stand around, but we have to be very observant and understand the needs of the visitors. We must also be well-versed in the exhibits and guide visitors if they have questions,” Joseph explained.
“We have to tell them the house rules before they enter… especially those with active kids. We have a yacht exhibit, and sometimes people try to jump over, but it’s very fragile and it can topple. So we have to remind them,” Rohayah chimed in.
“We keep a lookout for the active ones. Over the years, we know what are the things to look out for,” she added.
The museum sees a spike in footfall early in the year when the annual Museum Roundtable Lunar New Year Hongbao Campaign is in full swing.
As one of the 48 participating museums, the Singapore Sports Museum draws visitors eager to collect the limited-edition red packet designs.
“People come here to collect the red packets, and at the same time they have to visit the museum… and from there they get to know more about what the sports museum is all about,” Rohayah said.
More recently, the museum collaborated with local Risograph and print studio Knuckles and Notch to present Singapore’s sports history in a vibrant and engaging way. The Make Your Mark event, which ran from 22 February to 11 May, featured stamp collections, risograph artwork exhibits, and silkscreen tote bag printing.
The event proved to be a crowd puller. Rohayah said, “It generated good publicity for the museum. Visitors came back and brought their friends. It attracted both young and old.”
Creating a Lasting Impression for Visitors
Despite seeing hundreds of visitors pass through the museum on any given week, Rohayah’s goal remains the same — to make every visitor feel welcome at the museum.
“When they come in, I want them to feel very welcome. And when they leave, I want them to walk away with a good impression and the desire to return,” she said.
“I hope they’ll share their experience with others through word of mouth so more visitors will come.”
Running track in the Youth Olympic Museum
For Joseph, the museum has come to hold a special place in his heart. “This is part of our heritage,” he said. “We should preserve it so future generations can understand how far Singapore has come in its sporting journey.”
“I hope that visitors come here, they will be more informed. And if they bring their children, it may inspire them to try to emulate (these sporting feats).”
Keen to explore Singapore’s sporting history through interactive exhibits and collection of rare artefacts?
Visit the Singapore Sports Museum and immerse yourself in its six permanent galleries, a rotating temporary gallery, and the Youth Olympic Museum. Admission is free for Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents.
For more information, visit the Singapore Sports Museum website.
