For those born in the kampung days, board games like congkak or carrom were perfect (and perfectly cheap) ways to while away a lazy afternoon. In some households, you might’ve even gotten your hands on chess, xiangqi (Chinese chess) or a game of snakes & ladders.
Well, these board games and their respective evolutions from their ancient counterparts will soon be explored at the Asian Civilisations Museum’s (ACM) latest special exhibition, Let’s Play! The Art and Design of Asian Games.
The ticketed exhibition will feature over 150 pieces of Asian board game history from international lenders and Singapore’s own national collection.
These include wooden shogi sets, Chinese chess boards dating back to the Ming Dynasty, saris intricately adorned with a tapestry of poker cards, and more.
These board games aren’t just for show – you’ll also be able to get your game on at several points across the exhibition’s five distinct sections. As for whom you’ll be challenging exactly… we’ll save that surprise for later.
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Let’s Play! The Art and Design of Asian Games will run from 5 September 2025 to 7 June 2026, with an entry fee of $12 for Singaporeans and permanent residents. Seniors, however, can head in for free!
Read on for five things you can’t miss at the ACM’s first major board game exhibition.
1. Discover the predecessors of modern board games like gyan chaupar – the ancient Indian precursor to snakes & ladders
While some board games like weiqi (also known as go) have stayed largely consistent since they were invented thousands of years ago, others have evolved or taken on entirely new meanings.
Case in point: gyan chaupar, a “game of knowledge” created by Jain communities in Gujarat and Rajasthan, which was originally intended as a tool for moral guidance.
The board represented the entire universe, with every step forward (determined by the roll of a die) indicating an action or emotion.
Practising virtues like truth or generosity would see you ascending quickly to higher planes of existence, while vices like pride would send you tumbling downwards. If you haven’t yet realised, gyan chaupar is what we know today as snakes & ladders!
2. Examine the intricacy of old-world board games
There was a time when you couldn’t just get a chess set off the shelf at a department store – and a time before that, when chess sets were carved of ivory and bone, or hewn from precious metals, only to be touched and played by the exceedingly wealthy.
Leisure was a hallmark of the rich and powerful in the ancient world, and board games were their way of showing it. Rulers would even commission bespoke board game sets to commemorate particularly satisfying victories.
While almost every example across the exhibition is intricately designed (save for a few modern pieces), you’d want to spend the most time in the Cultivating the Self section, where you can check out an entire wall of superbly detailed chess pieces from nine distinct collections, as well as the Games and Community section with its dramatic boat-shaped wooden congkak boards.
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3. Marvel at how far board games have come
Though there is much to be said about the enduring quality of board games like carrom and chess, there are always ways to reinvent the proverbial wheel and come up with games relatable for a modern audience.
The ACM has dedicated a small breather section to spotlight modern board games by creators across Asia.
Think a dim sum-inspired card game by a Hongkonger, or a board game that transforms the snarl of Jakarta’s perennial traffic into a high-stakes adventure. At the very least, it’ll give you some ideas if you and your kakis are tired of mahjong.
4. Face-off with a robot
In 1997, the reigning world chess champion Garry Kasparov was defeated by Deep Blue, IBM’s chess supercomputer. It was artificial intelligence’s first victory against humanity, and AI has only gotten smarter since then.
While you can face off against a chess computer anywhere now, why not go all the way and play a match of weiqi or chess against an actual robot powered by computer vision? If that’s a little too uncanny for you, you can always play against humans at the nearby seats.
5. Play giant checkers while resting your legs
Alternatively, you could head to the final section of the showcase to rest your legs while letting the grandkids go wild with giant checkers or ludo. That’s also where they can submit their filled activity booklet for an exclusive gift.
On your way out, don’t forget to snap pictures with the 7m outdoor chess art piece along the Singapore River – the photo op will be especially dazzling if you pop by at night when the chess board illuminates.
Let's Play! The Art and Design of Asian Games at the Asian Civilisations Museum
Where: 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555
When: 5 September 2025 to 7 June 2026
Price: $12 for Singaporeans and PRs, free for seniors and students
Website: https://www.nhb.gov.sg/acm/whats-on/exhibitions/lets-play-2025
