Latest news with #MuseumofUs
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Straits Times
Two teens died of overdoses in January 2025: Shanmugam
Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam giving a speech at the second Drug Victims Remembrance Day observance ceremony on May 16. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI SINGAPORE - Two teenagers aged 16 and 18 died of suspected drug overdoses in January, as Singapore continues its battle against drug abuse, a growing problem among young people. Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam told the audience at the second Drug Victims Remembrance Day observance ceremony on May 16 that methamphetamine, also known as Ice, was likely to have been involved. 'There are many other tragic cases, but thankfully they remain small in number,' he said at the event at the Suntec City Convention and Exhibition Centre. Mr Shanmugam added: 'We are finding that we are arresting younger and younger abusers. Last year, the youngest was 13 years old. Over the last two years, more than half of new abusers arrested were below 30 years old.' A 2016 study by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) found the cost to Singapore society of dealing with drug crimes was more than $1.2 billion in 2015 , said Mr Shanmugam. The financial impact of drug abuse on individuals is equally staggering. A 2020 NTU study found drug consumption significantly impacts the abusers' income and income growth even after they quit the habit. An abuser can stand to lose close to $620,000 through spending on drugs and potential lost income. The Drug Victims Remembrance Day campaign is an initiative by the Inter-Ministry Committee on Drug Prevention for Youths to highlight the impact of drugs on abusers and their loved ones. This year's campaign is at the Suntec City Level 1 Atrium until May 18. It features an interactive Museum of Us exhibition, inspired by the personal stories of real-life drug victims, who are the families and friends of abusers. Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam at the 'Museum of Us' exhibition during the second Drug Victims Remembrance Day observance ceremony on May 16. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI The campaign also features five short films titled Remember Us, seen from the perspectives of the loved ones of a fictional drug abuser, John. While the characters in the films are played by actors, the experiences portrayed are based on research and interviews with Singaporeans affected by drug abuse, said Ms Tan Hui Er, the films' director. Ms Tan, 29, said: 'The very important thing for me was making sure that the pain and the love that they (characters in the short films) feel and their experiences, are felt and seen.' The pain of drug abuse on families is something that former abuser Shaun Yeo, who has three children, knows too well. Mr Yeo, 41, a delivery driver, said he cannot forget the 'countless times' his seven-year-old daughter saw him dragged away to the police station while he was high on drugs. Said Mr Yeo, who was first arrested for drug abuse at age 15: 'I couldn't fulfil my responsibility as a father because I was constantly broke. Even when I had money, the first thing I thought of was my family.' Mr Yeo, who has been drug-free since 2020, is trying to rebuild his relationship with his children, now aged 12 to 18 . He had spent a total of four years in prison for drug crimes over a 20-year period. Former drug abuser and gang leader Kim Whye Kee, 49, is grateful for his mother, who never gave up on him during his 10-year sentence for drug abuse and extortion. Said Mr Kim, who was released from prison in 2008: 'Her love is unconditional, something that I realised during my years of drug addiction... She always stood by me even when I relapsed or got arrested.' Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam (right) with (from left) DrugFreeSG Advocate Gopal Mahey, Mr Kim Whye Kee and Mr Shaun Yeo on May 16. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Mr Kim, who began learning pottery in his final months in prison, held his first solo exhibition in 2019. He is scheduled for another exhibition in Suzhou, China in a few weeks. He said he could not imagine what he had put his mother through, especially during occasions like Chinese New Year (CNY), when relatives would discuss what their children were doing. A lot of that time, he was in prison. Added Mr Kim: 'It was a bit strange when I saw my mother tearing (at my solo exhibition)... she was not sad but very happy when Mr Shanmugam came and visitors asked if I was her son. For me (seeing that) was enough.' Showing support and caring for drug abusers is vital to their reintegration into society said Ms Amy Ronshausen, executive director of Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. and Save Our Society From Drugs. Events such as the Drug Victims Remembrance Day brings families together in support of recovering drug abusers. Mr Ronshausen, 51, who was at the ceremony, told The Straits Times: 'It reminds them why recovery is important and why they need to stay (clear of drugs) and have their families around them. It's not an individual thing but a community thing.' Zaihan Mohamed Yusof is senior crime correspondent at The Straits Times. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
National Geographic
21-04-2025
- National Geographic
We planned the perfect day in San Diego for 3 types of travelers
While Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo failed to find an all-water route—the mythical 'Strait of Anian'—across North America in 1542, he did discover San Diego Bay, which he remarked was 'a very good port.' The Indigenous Kumeyaay people had already lived there for thousands of years. Cabrillo still claimed the land for Spain, beginning a tumultuous period where San Diego would be under Spanish, then Mexican, and ultimately U.S. rule. Just 20 minutes from the border, Mexico has helped shape the city's culture and cuisine. Other events and movements have impacted San Diego, too, including the city's strategic importance as a naval base and the surf culture that exploded in the '60s. With 70 miles of coastline, surfers, stand-up paddle boarders, kayakers, and boaters can find a place to play every day of the year. 'San Diego is a city on an edge. There's this distinct energy,' says San Diego-based architect Jennifer Luce, who has been behind many transformational civic projects in San Diego including the renovation of the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park. Explore San Diego's diverse neighborhoods, and you'll find historic architecture and thought-provoking art galleries, family-friendly activities, and multiple ways to get outside and enjoy the city's fine weather. Here's how to have a perfect day in San Diego. (Related: The essential guide to visiting San Diego.) Visitors to San Diego can't miss a trip to Balboa Park, home to 18 museums, including the Museum of Us, devoted to anthropology. So, it's no surprise that the park's Plaza de Panama is a popular spot for tourists. Photograph by Michael George, Nat Geo Image Collection For culture hounds Morning Early city leaders had the foresight to set aside around 1,200 acres for a public park. Horticulturist Kate Sessions began planting trees throughout Balboa Park in the late 1800s, turning the arid site into a fragrant oasis of green with eucalyptus and acacia trees, flower gardens, and wide lawns. Join the active locals running and walking through the park in the morning and saunter through the Alcázar Garden on your way to the Mingei International Museum's Craft Café. It serves San Diego and Hawaii-roasted Dark Horse Coffee, pastries, and heartier fare like toasted focaccia with shakshuka with poblano peppers and labneh. The entry-level of the airy and modern Mingei—which is devoted to folk art, handcrafts, and design—is always free to the public, while the second-floor exhibitions level requires a ticket. Visitors admire permanent art installations like the Dale Chihuly chandelier dangling from the historic bell tower and rotating exhibitions showcasing the beauty of everyday items like American quilts to wooden African butterfly masks. Afternoon Head south of the park to Barrio Logan, San Diego's epicenter for Mexican American culture. One of 14 designated California Cultural Districts, it's filled with art galleries, coffee shops, and authentic Mexican eateries like Las Quatro Milpas. Founded in 1933, the restaurant serves a simple menu of border classics like pork and cheese burritos wrapped in house-made flour tortillas. Many of the neighborhood's vacant warehouses have been turned into funky, creative spaces. Bread & Salt, a former commercial bakery building, hosts art exhibitions and concerts. Massive concrete pylons that support the San Diego-Coronado Bridge are covered with colorful murals with pre-Colombian, colonial, and modern motifs in Chicano Park, a National Historic Landmark. Evening If you still have an appetite for more art, you can make a slight detour to Jaume Plensa's 25-foot-tall Pacific Soul sculpture near the waterfront before dinner at the downtown hotspot Callie. Chef Travis Swikard worked with chefs like Daniel Boulud in New York for a decade before opening this buzzy Mediterranean restaurant. Standout dishes include uni toast with jamón Ibérico de bellota and lemon saffron linguine. (Related: The best restaurants to experience the San Diego's diverse culinary scene.) A surfer paddles out off the coast of San Diego's La Jolla neighborhood. Photograph by Rachel Dowd, Alamy Stock Photo Helmut Igel is among a small subculture of surfers who ride waves along coastlines, from San Diego to Sydney, after sunset. Igel prepares to paddle out into the surf near San Diego. Photograph by Donald Miralle, The New York Times/Redux For adventure seekers Morning Order a black sesame kumquat cream bun or strawberry pistachio croissant and feel the sea breeze from the Wayfarer Bread & Pastry patio in Bird Rock. Many of San Diego's best waves are nearby. Walk just a few doors to the family-owned Bird Rock Surf Shop, which rents everything from beginner soft tops to premium surfboards. Tourmaline Surfing Park is just a mile drive south on La Jolla Boulevard and is known for mellow, consistent waves. More advanced surfers may want to head 10 minutes northwest to Windansea in La Jolla and its powerful reef break. The beach, with sandstone rocks for sunbathing and a historic surf shack, is one of San Diego's most photogenic. Afternoon Oscars Mexican Seafood on Turquoise Street serves the fresh casual fare San Diego surfers love, like Baja-style battered fish tacos and bluefin tuna ceviche. Upscale La Jolla is one of the best places in San Diego to embark on a watery adventure. Surrounding the coastline, the 6,000-acre La Jolla Underwater Park is a thriving underwater ecosystem with one of California's highest concentrations of sea life. The ocean adventure company Everyday California operates out of La Jolla Shores and offers action-filled tours of the marine reserve, including guided visits to sandstone sea caves. The outfitter donates a portion of every purchase to environmental nonprofits and uses only human-powered kayaks and paddleboards to minimize pollution and disturbances to wildlife. Kayakers are almost guaranteed wildlife sightings like sea lions sunbathing on rocks, leopard sharks swimming below, and bright orange Garibaldi in La Jolla Cove. Kayak tours can also include snorkeling and whale watching. Evening A flurry of new La Jolla and Bird Rock restaurants have reinvigorated San Diego's dining scene. In the midcentury Piano Building, the menu at Paradisaea, is elevated California coastal cuisine, like Hokkaido scallops with parsnip purée and a pork chop for two with tomatillo relish. The historic Whaling Bar at La Jolla's La Valencia Hotel reopened in 2024. Belly up to the bar as famous La Jolla residents like Gregory Peck and Theodore Geisel once did for a dirty martini or old-fashioned. (Related: Don't leave San Diego without trying these 9 experiences.) Families with children should not miss a ride on the Skyfari Aerial Tram at the San Diego Zoo for incredible views of the zoo and Balboa Park. Photograph by Littleny, Alamy Stock Photo For family fun Morning Fueling up before visiting the renowned San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park is wise. The breakfast and brunch-only Morning Glory in Little Italy, initially established in the early 1900s as an Italian and Portuguese fishing neighborhood, serves dishes kids and adults will love. Try the German pancakes with extra butter and ginger fried rice with pork belly, bok choy, and an egg sunny side-up. It would be easy to spend the entire day at the zoo, home to 3,500 rare animals and more than 700,000 exotic plants. To avoid burnout, prioritize must-visit exhibits. Africa Rocks showcases six different African habitats and animals like green-eyed leopards and social Hamadryas baboons. The Wildlife Explorers Basecamp keeps kids engaged with natural play areas built around animal habitats. Afternoon Military history is an integral part of San Diego's identity. Liberty Station in Point Loma was a training center for U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve officers until the '90s. Today, the Spanish Colonial Revival buildings are filled with art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and a lively food hall, Liberty Public Market. It's one of the most family-friendly places to eat in San Diego. Everyone can choose what they want, from empanadas with chimichurri to Maine lobster rolls. The upper walls of the center's former mess hall, a space that houses several vendors, including Landini's Pizzeria and a seating area, are lined with original naval murals from the 1950s. Pop into shops like Moniker General and the artsy design store Pigment, which stocks everything from modern furniture to stylish children's clothing. Evening If your brood still has energy, do an early evening round of mini golf at the Loma Club originally part of the historic San Diego Country Club. Point Loma has many great options for dinner, but Cesarina is a standout for its lush patio and open-air pasta factory where guests can see chefs make strips of bucatini and gnocchi. (Related: 10 experiences families shouldn't miss in San Diego.) Getting to San Diego and getting around San Diego is a convenient destination with daily non-stop flights from major hubs like Dallas, Seattle, and New York. There is public transportation to and from San Diego International Airport, located three miles northwest of downtown. Metropolitan Transit System Route 992 takes travelers from the airport to the Santa Fe train depot, where they can connect with Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and the local commuter rail, COASTER. If you want the freedom to explore the city's diverse neighborhoods, which are spread through the city's 372.4 square miles, renting a car is a good idea. All airport rental pick-ups and drop-offs happen at the Consolidated Rental Car Center. San Diego has mild and pleasant year-round weather, but it can be cloudy in May and June when cool ocean water and a strong marine layer create gloomy skies. Summer is the peak travel season. The best time to visit San Diego is the fall shoulder season (September through November) when the weather is warm, but there are fewer tourists and better deals. Where to stay San Diego has many hotels, from upscale resorts to funky boutique hotels. Hotel Del Coronado, a beachfront mainstay on Coronado Island since 1888, has undergone a $550 million restoration project over six years that restored its historic Victorian façade and 19th-century lobby details. Architects have added more contemporary guest rooms in 'neighborhoods' throughout the vast resort with calming colors, and balconies or patios. Across the street from the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego La Jolla Campus, Orli La Jolla is a boutique hotel with the convenience and privacy of a homestay. The hotel in an Irving Gill-designed treasure has 13 rooms and suites. Service is mainly contactless. Guests enjoy perks like kombucha and coffee in the lobby and complimentary guest activities like yoga and Pilates. (Related: The best San Diego hotels for every kind of traveler.) Casey Hatfield-Chiotti is a West Coast-based writer and editor who covers outdoor adventure, design, and family travel. Follow her on Instagram.
National Geographic
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
10 eclectic, must-see museums in San Diego
San Diego's epicenter for arts and culture is Balboa Park. This 1,200-acre urban oasis is home to 18 museums (and dozens of gardens, attractions, and fun venues). Visit the traditional institutions here—or swing over to the recently added Comic-Con Museum. In case you didn't know, Balboa Park shares a zip code with downtown San Diego, and the city's urban core has its own set of eclectic offerings, like the nautical USS Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum. With so many museums in the city, museophiles can pare down their options with this helpful list of must-see museums in San Diego. (Related: The essential guide to visiting San Diego.) 1. Comic-Con Museum Comic-Con International is an annual mega-convention of 130,000 sci-fi, superhero, and cosplay fanatics who flock to downtown San Diego in late July. The convention has a 55-year legacy, but the Comic-Con Museum opened in Balboa Park in 2021. Year-round, visitors can wander through exhibits like 'Becoming Betty Boop,' showcasing a century of the history and evolution of iconic cartoon characters. Journey through time and space during Comic-Con at the 'Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction' exhibit, which combines real-life science with the science fiction universe of British hero, Doctor Who. Be sure to visit the Monster Vault. A Star Wars cosplayer dons a Marilyn Monroe/Chewbacca crossover costume at the Comic-Con Museum booth during Comic-Con International held at the San Diego Convention Center. Photograph by Daniel Knighton, Getty Images 2. San Diego Museum of Us To better reflect inclusivity, the San Diego Museum of Man changed its name to Museum of Us in 2020. Visitors will spot the museum's 198-foot-tall, domed California Tower well before entering Balboa Park. Guests can tour the tower, whose elements are reminiscent of a Spanish-Colonial church. It was also featured prominently in Orson Welles' classic movie Citizen Kane. The museum focuses on cultural resources from more than 200 indigenous communities from all over the world. (Related: 10 experiences families shouldn't miss in San Diego.) The California Tower stands to the right of the Museum of Us in Balboa Park in San Diego. Photograph by csfotoimages, Getty Images The Museum of Us was constructed in 1915 for the Panama-California Expo. Photograph by csfotoimages, Getty Images 3. Fleet Science Center The Fleet Science Center offers mental stimulation for all ages. There's a good chance your visit will coincide with a school field trip of students excitedly exploring more than 100 hands-on, interactive exhibits. The Fleet is also home to the immersive Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn James Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. In Balboa Park,you can catch an IMAX movie on a 76-foot wraparound movie screen. Explore space with a 360-degree view in 'The Sky Tonight' show. Children explore the ''Taping Shape'' display at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, where about 21 miles of packing tape created rooms, tunnels, arches, and slides. Photograph by Peggy Peattie, San Diego Union-Tribune/ZUMA Press/Alamy Stock Photo 4. San Diego Air & Space Museum Trace the roots of breaking gravitational bonds in displays of historical aviation and space flight technology. The San Diego Air & Space Museum has a rare collection of models and some mint condition aircrafts. Go back in time to the Montgolfier brothers' 1783 hot-air balloon. Imagine the bravery of the 1920s barnstormer plane pilots, or inspect the military aircraft of the Vietnam War and World War II. The museum's space-age tech displays are continually evolving. (Related: The best restuarants in San Diego.) Air & Space Museum in San Diego's Balboa Park has a rare collection of models and some mint condition aircrafts. Photograph by Michael Snell, Alamy Stock Photo 5. House of Pacific Relations International Cottages The unique, peace-minded House of Pacific Relations is a consortium of 33 International Cottages representing different world cultures. From Germany and France to Israel and Palestine, the cottages are arranged in the middle of Balboa Park like a village. On weekends, the cottages are open to visitors, who can learn about specific cultures, histories, and traditions. Plan ahead and look for special afternoon programs focusing on food, music, dance, costumes, and arts and crafts. Visitors looking for a unique way to experience cultures from around the world should consider visiting International Cottages, where guests can learn about specific cultures, histories, and traditions found in a village of 33 different cottages in Balboa Park. Photograph by Michael Snell, Alamy Stock Photo 6. USS Midway Museum / The Maritime Museum of San Diego San Diego is a seaside city with 70 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Just blocks from each other, the USS Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum are floating museums moored downtown along the Embarcadero walkway. The USS Midway is a decommissioned aircraft carrier, with a flight deck filled with 26 restored carrier aircraft, from jet fighters to helicopters. The Maritime Museum is a collection of antique vessels, starring the 150-year-old, three-masted sailing ship Star of India. Other attractions include the steam ferry Berkeley, the USS Dolphin submarine, and the HMS Surprise—a replica of the Royal Navy frigate from the movie Master & Commander. (Related: Don't leave San Diego without trying these 9 experiences.) The USS Midway, a legendary aircraft carrier that served from World War II through Operation Desert Storm, is now a living museum that features a colossal flight deck, historic aircraft, and well-preserved exhibits. The iconic ship is floating in the San Diego Bay. Photograph by Yiming Chen, Getty Images 7. The New Children's Museum It's all about the kids at The New Children's Museum. Imagination meets creativity with activity-oriented art installations, with names like 'Wobbleland' and 'Disco Rainbow Cave.' Virtual art experiences also aim to be fun, like 'Sketch Aquarium' and 'Wonder Sound.' Children are allowed to get hands on at the Clay Studio and a Paint Studio that features a large-scale sculpture named 'The Loving Dragon.' 8. WNDR Museum San Diego Downtown's WNDR Museum is a high-tech, adult version of an interactive children's venue. WNDR is, of course, the word 'wonder' without vowels. You'll want to engage with the wonder of innovative displays that include: A multi-sensory Light Floor that glows wherever you leave a footprint. And a Quantum Mirror room, where 150 mirrors create an infinity reflection billed as an ode to our obsession with screens and the need for attention on social media. (Related: An neighborhood guide to San Diego.) Guests at the WNDR Museum in San Diego can see the 'Iris' exhibit which highlights how the unique patterns, colors, and textures in each iris are like miniature works of art. Photograph Courtesy WNDR Museum/Kyle Flubacker 9. Birch Aquarium at Scripps A public facility in La Jolla, Birch Aquarium at Scripps is also the public outreach center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. With a focus on marine life, the aquarium houses more than 380 species. Visitors flock to the Blue Beach shark and ray habitat, as well as the Tide-Pool Plaza, with close-up views of hermit crabs, lobsters, starfish, and more. The colorful Hall of Fishes is just finishing a renovation, set to reopen as Living Seas on May 22, 2025. Plan a trip to Birch Aquarium to see the new 'Living Seas' exhibit, set to open May 2025, which will explore the wonders of the ocean (like this giant kelp forest), from the Pacific Northwest and scenic Coastal California to the tropical Pacific. Photograph Courtesy Birch Aquarium at Scripps/Jordann Tomasek 10. Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (La Jolla) The flagship La Jolla location of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego has newly expanded galleries, exhibitions, and a sculpture garden. With idyllic, real-life coastal views of the Pacific Ocean, the MCASD recently expanded its collections of land and seascapes. Outside on the museum grounds, the Edwards Sculpture Garden is enlivened by numerous installations, including the 'Displaced Person' garden planter and a 'Crossroads' sculpture–a combination of city-specific directional arrows and signs with witty maxims, such as 'Words Without Thoughts Never to Heaven Go.' (Related: How families, culture hounds, and adventurers can spend the perfect day in San Diego.)
