Have you checked out the NEW Yesterday.sg website?

I've always been a fan of activities that involves history and I've engaged my children by visiting the museums around Singapore to experience something that provides good learning opportunities for them and allows them to open their eyes to times other than now to see how life used to be.

I've blogged about our trips HERE. These posts have also been featured on the yesterday.sg website by the lovely people over at the National Heritage Board. As of the last school holiday, I am now an official NHB member and have a pass to enter all the museums in SG for FREE! *snigger*... things to see and things to do and learn is always good right?

So, I was invited to the yesterday.sg media launch on last Friday and previewed the new website and new initiatives that the NHB will be rolling out for the next couple of months.

I find it interesting how organisations are now involving bloggers up on par with mainstream media. Some of the bloggers as seen above *can you tell who's who?* and we were seated along side with journalists and media staff from the various newspapers & media companies. Things are surely evolving as bloggers start to have a higher profile as time passes.

The picture above was one of the pictures that the Liane Zhaobao photographer took of us "bloggers" which was supposed to be out over the weekend or earlier this week but I STILL have not seen that article come out. If anyone sees that article/picture on the chinese papers, please let me know?

They now have a spanking brand new website which is totally cool! And as part of their efforts, they now have HTV, which is Heritage TV which they will roll out a new episode every fortnight and comes in the form of very relaxed type of historical "youtube inspired" kind of amateur recording & editing which is still intruiging to watch & to learn from. This format of not making it such a formal corporate video also hopes to encourage youths to contribute their own "heritage" videos to contribute to the growing interactive learning platform.

A good touch in their presentation was that they did everything "online" from specially created introductory videos and introductions. Good attempt in reaching out to us in "our media".

Frankly, I don't have the technical expertise to dissect how the website navigates or special feature points of a website BUT Claudia has an EXCELLENT dissection of the new facelift which you should check out HERE. Once again.. check out the new yesterday.sg website HERE! or click on the screenshot below.

The NHB is also taking gaming to a new level and has launched a competition for young online game designers to develop heritage-related games for their peers called Mission Darkstar.

This is divided into two stages of competition where game developers may submit their detailed proposals to NHB by 13th March 2009. 5 teams stand an opportunity of receiving seed funding of $4000 cash where they then proceed to stage two where they go on to develop the game.

These 5 teams stand a chance to win the following:

1st Prize: $8,000

2nd Prize: $3,000

3rd Prize: $1,500

4th & 5th Prize: $500

Check out the Mission Darkstar Website for more details! Or click on the screenshot below!

The NHB also links to various other sites where you can check out more information on our museums, activities and happenings. You can find out more info at the official National Heritage Board website HERE. Or click on the screenshot below!

And another museum website for even MORE information... HERE. Many sources of information so don't say there's nothing to do in Singapore.. go check out one of our MANY museums.. yes.. there isn't just ONE museum here in Singapore.. there are more.... go check out the websites to find out more...

Another aspect of this media launch was also the introduction of YEAH! Which stands for Young Envoys for the Arts & Heritage. This is NHB's attempt to engage and enlist advocates for heritage and help to spread the message to their respective communities, networks, family members and friends while their goal is to foster a self sustaining museum-going and arts-loving culture in Singapore.

The NHB are now talent scouting interested young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 *but not limited to this age only.. this is only a rough guage.. you can be younger/older* who have a genuine interest in the arts, heritage, culture and museums. These envoys will be invited to exclusive heritage, museum, arts events and have the opportunity to meet organisations and individuals involved in the cultural and heritage fields.

Key considerations for these envoys would be that they be active online, ie bloggers/social media users or offline, ie civil society or community leaders. Also, they have to be web savvy and familiar with social media networking tools.

Furthermore, NHB will provide training and seed funding to help them develop their own initiatives that promotes the arts, heritage and museums.

If you're interested or know anyone who may be interested to be an envoy and fit the profile or even if you don't technically "fit" the profile but are still interested. Email the NHB HERE.

This event *which came with cocktails & lunch too! Slurps!* was held at the Singapore Pilatelic Museum which is yet another museum that I will be checking out at leisure with my girls one of these weeks.

For those wondering what this place is about its all about STAMPS!...their creation, development and various collections and mailing systems and postage materials...

This place is a small place just right behind Funan Centre over at Coleman street. Check it out one of these days!

One aspect I like about the museums these days is that they've really taken an effort to update the place, its more brightly lit, clean and cool. The displays and rooms are now not mangey dark dusty places like how I remember visiting them when I was very young a long time ago during some of those school excursions.

And further more... to satisfy the curiosity of our very itchy finger children.. the museums are now interactive! More buttons to press. Drawers to open. Videos to watch. Cupboards to open. Places to sit and observe. Things to smell. Contraptions to turn and swish about. Microscopes to peek into... and much more! A full sensory experience! Pretty nifty eh!~

And of course.. whats meeting up with other bloggers without a little CAMLOVIN'? And guess who I bumped into other than Claudia? Its Rachel aka Xtralicious!

So..thats it people.. go and check out the new yesterday.sg website! Go, go go!