It’s official. Dr. Kenson Kwok, the founding director of Asian Civilisations Museum and Peranakan Museum will be retiring on Friday after 18 years of service. NHB CEO Michael Koh will be taking over for the two museums until they find a new director. And really, a round of applause for Dr. Kwok who’s done a great job for those two museums – and for ACM in particular. It’s not easy leading the shuffle from one museum site to another and still putting up some interesting shows. Oh, and a nice fella too. Here’s something from the official statement released: “During his tenure with NHB, Dr Kwok has contributed tremendously to the development of the ACM, overseeing the planning, renovation and set-up of its first wing at Armenian Street which opened in 1997, as well as the completion of its present building at Empress Place which opened its doors in 2003. Locally curated shows have also been well-received by audiences at home and abroad such as On the Nalanda Trail: Buddhism in India, China and Southeast Asia which sparked off much scholarship and interest in Buddhism in Singapore. Many of the ACM’s exhibitions have also attracted record visitorship and considerable media coverage such as 2005’s Journey of Faith: Art and History from the Vatican Collections which saw more than 130,000 visitors, and the more recent The Kangxi Emperor: Treasures from the Forbidden City which attracted close to 165,000 visitors.” And don't forget the Peranakan exhibition in France next year. Take a bow, Dr. Kwok. Now go and chillax. You deserve it.