The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) embarks on a landmark collaboration with China’s Dunhuang Academy to present a new exhibition on Buddhist art and the Silk Road in 2026. Featuring stunning cross-cultural art and artefacts from the Dunhuang Mogao Caves – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – for the first time in Southeast Asia, the exhibition will explore how Buddhist art and ideas travelled across Asia, transforming local traditions and inspiring new forms of expression.

This collaboration was formalised today through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ACM and the Dunhuang Academy. Signed on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China, the MoU marks the beginning of a significant partnership between the two institutions, with preparations for the exhibition already under way.

Mr Clement Onn, Director of ACM and the Peranakan Museum, says “As the only museum in Asia with a pan-Asian scope, the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) is dedicated to exploring how art and belief connect cultures across the region. Our collaboration with the Dunhuang Academy builds on partnerships—including with the Vatican Museums’ Anima Mundi—to present Asian art and cultures through multiple faith perspectives. Linking two historic crossroads—Dunhuang on the overland Silk Road and Singapore on the maritime route—the exhibition offers a powerful reflection on centuries of cultural exchange and shared devotion, as we work toward an opening in 2026.“

Mr Zhang Yuanlin, Deputy Director of the Dunhuang Academy, says “Singapore is not only the core of Southeast Asian cultural exchanges but also a bridge connecting the East and the West. Dunhuang, as a civilization hub of the Silk Road on land, resonates with the maritime Silk Road theme deeply cultivated by the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore. In terms of cross-cultural and inter-religious inclusiveness, they share a similarity that transcends time and space. Therefore, Singapore and the Asian Civilisations Museum have become the ideal places in Southeast Asia to showcase the beauty and harmonious spiritual connections of Dunhuang in Southeast Asia. Through this collaboration, we hope that visitors will experience the historical warmth of civilisational convergence through these examples of multicultural exchange, appreciate the effort of generations of steadfast guardianship and embrace the conscious responsibility for cultural heritage protection.”

Under the MoU, ACM and the Dunhuang Academy will collaborate on the planning and realisation of the exhibition. It will also be the first major exhibition in Southeast Asia devoted to Dunhuang, featuring historic works of art, full-scale 1:1 reproductions of grottoes, and immersive digital experiences that bring the caves and their paintings to life.

Building on ACM’s previous exchanges and joint exhibitions with leading Chinese museums—including the Palace Museum, Shanghai Museum, and the Capital Museum—this partnership underscores our commitment to deepening understanding of Asian art and shared cultural heritage with leading international institutions.