Singapore's Last Teochew Mansion Is Now Open to the Public
After a multi-million dollar restoration, the 140-year-old House of Tan Yeok Nee has reopened as one of the city's most extraordinary cultural spaces.
Image: Darren Soh for House of Tan Yeok Nee
Tucked between the glass towers of Penang Road sits a building that has offers a stark and beautiful contrast. The House of Tan Yeok Nee was built between 1882 and 1885 by Teochew merchant Tan Yeok Nee, and it's the sole survivor of Singapore's "Four Grand Mansions," a collection of grand residences commissioned by the Teochew merchants who made their fortunes in the region's 19th-century spice and commodities trade.
The house was designated a National Monument in 1974 but spent much of the last century serving as everything from an orphanage to the Salvation Army's headquarters. For most of that time, the public couldn't step inside but in good news for everyone, that’s no longer the case.
In November 2025, the mansion reopened following a four-year, S$100 million restoration. The work involved 30 master craftsmen and the results are impressive: gilded timber carvings, ornate ceramic inlays and hand-painted roof sculptures, all faithfully restored to their original detail. The roofline, decorated with dragons, phoenixes and floral motifs in red and gold, is southern Chinese architecture at its finest.
Inside, four gallery spaces house a Heritage Gallery with multimedia displays tracing the mansion's multifaceted history, alongside rotating exhibitions. There are also curated guided tours if you want a more in-depth experience. On the dining front, Loca Niru, a Japanese-French fine dining restaurant led by Chef Shusuke Kubota, has quietly opened within the grounds, with a bar to follow - possibly one of the most unique dining spots to open in the city of late.
TIME recently named the House of Tan Yeok Nee one of the World's Greatest Places for 2026, and having seen the restoration, it's easy to understand why. The mansion is free to visit and sits just steps from Dhoby Ghaut MRT, so don’t miss a visit when you’re next in the neighbourhood.
