In Singapore’s varied neighborhoods, museums, restaurants and food halls, the diversity of the city-state’s population is front and center. Its 6 million residents include significant Chinese, Indian, Malay and European communities, and many locals have heritage that draws from multiple backgrounds. While English is widely spoken, it’s only one of the four official languages in this multilingual nation, which also include Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

Want to learn more? Here’s a visitor’s guide to multicultural Singapore.

Understanding Peranakan Culture

The term “Peranakan” refers to people of mixed heritage, whose Chinese, Indian, Arab, European or other backgrounds have merged with the traditional cultures of the Malay-Indonesian archipelago. Set in a 1912 former school building, the modern multimedia Peranakan Museum showcases these distinctive Singaporean cultural communities through photos, video and audio stories.

At the museum, you can glimpse into Chinese Peranakan family traditions, follow the migrations of Arab Peranakans and learn about the clothing of “Chetti Melakans” or Peranakan Indians. Watch the entertaining videos of Peranakan chefs to understand more about the foods that you might enjoy throughout Singapore.

Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Four Seasons Hotel Singapore offers two experiences that give you an insider’s look into Peranakan cultural traditions. The Intan Private Museum Tour and Tea Experience includes a visit to the Intan, a house museum devoted to Peranakan culture, where you’ll speak with the curator and take tea with a selection of Peranakan sweets. The Intan Private Museum Tour and Private Dining Experience adds a seven-course Nyonya meal, hosted by the curator, to your museum visit.

At the Five-Star Capella Singapore, on Sentosa Island, you can book another Peranakan cultural experience, including a private tour of a Straits Enclave Peranakan museum and a walk through the Katong district, known for its Peranakan food.

You can also find Peranakan food throughout the city. Book a table at Candlenut, which serves an upscale Peranakan menu, or try City PeraMakan for a more casual sampling of this diverse cuisine.