Shaping Deep Research into Compelling Narratives
I am Eisen Teo, a Singaporean historian, curator, and strategist dedicated to the art of memory and narrative.
I have 14 years’ experience uncovering Singapore’s hidden histories and crafting them into award-winning museums, exhibitions, books, maps, tours, events and programmes, and more.
I specialise in translating data and research into stories that resonate, and add lasting value to brands and institutions.
I am the founding Chief Curator of the award-winning Hell’s Museum, and author of Jalan Singapura: 700 Years of Movement in Singapore.
Now, I offer “Swiss Army knife” versatility to organisations searching for precision, depth, and creative flair in heritage work and content creation.
Available for consultancy, project-based commissions, and retainers from July 2026.
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How I Can Help You
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Heritage and humanities research: Deep archival research and historical analysis to provide the factual bedrock for your next project.
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Curatorial strategy and project management: End-to-end planning – from conceptualisation to execution – for museums, exhibitions, publications, and programmes.
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Copywriting: Crafting succinct, engaging prose for print and digital media.
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Copyediting: Refining copy and manuscripts for accuracy, clarity, and consistency. Includes books and academic papers.
Contact me for a consultation or quote: historybyeisen@gmail.com
Portfolio
The Battlebox (2016-2017)
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A former World War II underground command centre in Fort Canning Hill, it was the site where the British made the decision to surrender Singapore to the invading Japanese on 15 February 1942. In the 1990s, the site was converted into a war museum.
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Revamped and relaunched the museum experience.
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Researched, scripted, and conducted a 1-hour tour, The Battlebox Tour: A Story of Strategy & Surrender, which formed the core of the Battlebox’s museum experience.
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From 2017 to 2022, the Battlebox was Singapore’s #1 museum on TripAdvisor.
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In 2018, it was the #6 museum in Asia on TripAdvisor.
The Kallang Story: A Sports, Arts and Heritage Trail (2019)
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The trail covers the social, political, cultural, and sporting heritage of Kallang, including The Kallang (formerly known as the Singapore Sports Hub).
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Researched and created content for the Trail, including 18 Markers, a Guide Book, a Wayfinding Map, and a Heritage Walk.
Jalan Singapura: 700 Years of Movement in Singapore (2019)
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The book, published by Marshall Cavendish International, covers the intertwined histories of land transport, traffic, and urban development in Singapore over at least 700 years.
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Hell’s Museum (2021)
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Chief Curator for Hell’s Museum, a new museum inside Haw Par Villa presenting perspectives of death and the afterlife across civilisations, religions, and cultures.
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Oversaw planning, construction, curation, research, and content.
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Hell’s Museum became Haw Par Villa’s chief attraction and revenue generator.
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In 2022, Hell's Museum became Singapore’s #1 museum on TripAdvisor.
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As of 2026, it was #11 of Things to Do in Singapore on TripAdvisor.
End of an Era – The Legacy of a Vanishing Trade:
Yeo Swee Huat Paper Agency (2022)
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An exhibition telling the story of Yeo Swee Huat Paper Agency, a 60-year-old business specialising in paper products burned during traditional Chinese festivals, which was forced to close in 2022.
Tanglin Trust School (2024)
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A historical research project for the international school’s centenary, which was commemorated in 2025.
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Helped produce a 201-page report (with 701 pages of references and annexes) on the heritage of the school, which the school then used to create an exhibition, a book, and lesson plans for its students.
Haw Ror Villa 3! (2024)
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The third edition of Halloween at Haw Par Villa, which included Asian themes and paid tribute to the unique heritage of the park. The park was divided into three zones – Zones 1, 2, and 3.
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Created an escape room puzzle game for Zone 1, Escape the Judges’ Wrath, which covered Hell’s Museum and the 10 Courts of Hell.
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Storyboarded and scripted a murder mystery guided tour for Zone 2, The Villa Has Eyes: An Interactive Ghostly Guided Tour.
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Worked closely with actors during rehearsals.
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Served as IC for Zone 1 for all event dates – 18, 19, 25, 26 October.
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The event was sold out on all event dates, and became a significant revenue generator for the park that year.
Haw Ror Villa 4! – The Final Journey (2025)
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The fourth edition of Halloween at Haw Par Villa, which included Asian themes and paid tribute to the unique heritage of the park. The park was divided into four zones – Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4.
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Helped conceptualise and flesh out the overarching theme of the event – Haw Par Villa has been overrun by an ancient cult of mysterious origin. Ensured that the storylines for the zones were linked.
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Storyboarded and scripted a scare house with Asian scare elements for Zone 1, Infiltrating The Heart of the Sanctum. Also helped in building the scare house from scratch, and oversaw the creation of marketing materials such as “missing person” posters.
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Storyboarded and scripted a mystery guided tour for Zone 2, The Villa Has Eyes II: An Interactive Ghostly Guided Tour, a sequel to 2024’s The Villa Has Eyes.
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Created an escape room puzzle game for Zone 3, The Forbidden Ritual: The Search for Hellbound Totems, which covered Hell’s Museum and the 10 Courts of Hell.
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Worked closely with actors during rehearsals.
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Served as IC for Zone 3 for all 13 event dates – 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 30, and 31 October, and 1 November.
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The event was sold out on all event dates, and became a significant revenue generator for the park that year.
The Charter and the Courts:
200 Years of the Rule of Law in Singapore (2026)
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An exhibition commissioned by the Singapore Academy of Law to commemorate 200 years since the granting of the Second Charter of Justice, which formally established English common law in Singapore. The exhibition tells the story of Singapore’s legal journey from precolonial times to the present.
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The year-long exhibition, located on the second floor of the Supreme Court, officially launched on 12 January 2026.
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Helped script a tour based on the exhibition, and assisted in training volunteer docents to conduct the tour.
Blog
I share about my research and thoughts on history, transport, and urban studies,
and snippets of my life experiences.
Join my blog’s Telegram channel at https://t.me/historybyeisen for mobile updates.
