From 28 January to 7 June 2026, the Asian Civilisations Museum teams up with CHAGEE and Singapore Tourism Board to present Garden of Senses: A Tea Reverie, a multi-sensory showcase that explores tea as culture, ritual and social connector across Asia.
Visitors are invited to slow down, breathe, smell, listen and sip. Tea becomes the entry point, but what you’re really experiencing is how a simple cup mirrors human rhythms across time and geography. Yes, it sounds poetic. It is.
Get your all-access ticket at S$12 for Singaporeans and PRs and S$25 for tourists. Enjoy entry to all exhibitions on the day including Garden of Senses: A Tea Reverie. From mid-February 2026, the first 3,000 All Access ticket holders can redeem a complimentary exclusive tea bag.
What to expect: a journey through the senses
Thought
The experience opens with a sculptural paper installation inspired by tea leaves. Calm, airy and contemplative, it sets the pace for the rest of the showcase, encouraging visitors to pause before moving on.
Scent
Fragrance takes centre stage as you explore aroma profiles across different tea categories, from green and oolong to darker teas. It’s a reminder that smell often shapes our first impression of tea, long before the first sip.
Touch
This zone highlights the craft behind tea production, featuring tools and imagery that trace tea’s evolution from traditional handcraft to modern techniques. The focus stays firmly on the human touch behind every cup.
Sight
Historic tea vessels from the museum’s collection are presented as 3D replicas alongside contemporary CHAGEE cups. Old rituals meet modern tea culture, creating a visual dialogue across centuries.
Sound
A multimedia installation transforms the rhythms of tea preparation into a meditative soundscape, translating gestures and movements into something you can hear as well as see.
Taste
The journey culminates outdoors by the Singapore River, flowing seamlessly into the CHAGEE riverfront pop-up store. Tea becomes social again, shared in a communal riverside setting that echoes historic tea trade routes.
The CHAGEE riverfront pop-up
Opening in early February 2026 and running until 7 June, the pop-up serves CHAGEE beverages and showcase-exclusive merchandise, some previously only available in China. It temporarily takes over the Baker & Cook space, which returns in July 2026.
CHAGEE Pony Plushie Charm bundles, what you need to know
One of the biggest draws of the showcase is the CHAGEE Pony Plushie Charm, designed exclusively for Garden of Senses: A Tea Reverie. These plushies are inspired by horses that once carried tea along ancient trade routes, with subtle nods to Singapore via the Merlion and the Singapore River. Limited to two bundles per customer per day, while stocks last.
| Variant | Who can buy | Price | How to purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light blue Pony Plushie Charm | ACM All Access ticket holders only | S$17.90 | Present the voucher included with your All Access ticket at the CHAGEE pop-up |
| Light brown Pony Plushie Charm | Walk-in customers | S$17.90 | Purchase as a bundle with selected CHAGEE drinks |
Pick up other CHAGEE merchandise at the Pop Up Store at Asian Civilisations Museum.