A good place to start your tour is at the Malay Heritage Centre at 85 Sultan Gate.  The MHC’s stated mission is that “through its exhibits, programmes and activities, the Centre hopes to honour the past while providing a means for present-day expression.”  The Centre is actually located on the historic site of the Istana Kampong Glam, a former royal palace built by ... Sultan Hussein Mua'zzam Shah ibni Mahmud Shah Alam in 1819 after he signed a treaty with Sir Stamford Raffles allowing the British to establish a trading post in Singapore.  Look for eye-opening exhibitions such as “La-A-Obe: Baweanese Culture & Heritage in Singapore” and “Ilham Alam: Nature & Healing in the Malay World” at the Malay Heritage Centre.