Museum Hopping: 5 Museums to Visit in Singapore
Museums are no longer only destinations for school field trips or air-conditioned venues people go to escape the heat. In fact, museums are plenty of fun these days. Being the modern hub for commerce and finance that is Singapore, this city is tremendously diverse in culture and rich in history. Come with us while we take you through our list of the best museums to visit in Singapore.
The National Museum of Singapore
The National Museum of Singapore is the go-to if you can only visit one place to learn about the history and culture of Singapore. With its history dating back to 1887, the National Museum of Singapore is the nation’s oldest museum, one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks and architectural icons, and one of the best museums in Singapore.
Unlike its historical presence, what the National Museum of Singapore brings to its flocks of visitors annually is nowhere near dated. After a three-year redevelopment in 2006 and further refreshment of its permanent galleries, the National Museum of Singapore fully re-opened on 19 September 2015. Adopting tech-savvy and immersive ways of presenting history and culture, it redefines what one might consider the conventional museum-going experience. With the cutting-edge digital implementation, visitors can expect a highly immersive experience while enjoying the fun and inspiring storytelling. The highly acclaimed permanent exhibitions Singapore History Gallery and Life in Singapore: The Past 100 Years galleries compellingly tell the string of the past and present events that brought on the Singapore we know of today.
A cultural and architectural landmark in Singapore itself, the Museum hosts innovative exhibitions and events, from art installations and festivals to performances and film screenings. With such a dynamic range of displays throughout the year, the National Museum of Singapore is certainly an established national treasure with a progressive mind.
Address: 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897
Red Dot Design Museum Singapore
The Singapore Red Dot Design Museum moved to its present location in 2017 after its first opening at another spot 12 years earlier. Marked by its modern, sleek glass exterior, this boutique museum is all about design and its arts. Situated by the Waterfront Promenade at the Marina Bay in Singapore, the Red Dot Design Museum Singapore has become a hotspot for both locals and international tourists, and for good reasons.
One of the most prestigious design awards in the world, the Red Dot Design Award is a German international design prize founded in 1955, consisting of prize categories for product design, brands and communication design, and design concept, with winning designers and producers being presented in an annual ceremony. Over 300 award-winning design works from the international Red Dot Design Award are exhibited at the museum. With annually refreshed displays, visitors are guaranteed an ever-interesting and inspiring escapade, making each visit just as exciting as the first. The Red Dot Design Museum Singapore is just right for the art and design connoisseurs who like to keep up with the latest trends in the design realm. It is truly a front-row experience into a world of contemporary design and one of Singapore’s best museums to visit.
Address: Red Dot Design Museum 11 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018940
ArtScience Museum
Another iconic landmark in the city opened in 2014, the ArtScience Museum has it all – arts, science, culture, and technology. Shaped like a lotus flower, the ArtScience Museum sits at the waterfront of the prominent Marina Bay Sands. Made up of 10 concrete ‘petals’ anchored by a unique round base in the middle, the design of each petal reveals the vast gallery spaces of nearly 5000 square metres. With skylights at the tip of the petals dramatically illuminating the curved interior walls, the interior of the galleries is just as impressive as its exterior.
Hosting significant exhibitions exploring aspects of performance, visual arts, culture, history, and science such as physics, palaeontology, marine biology, cosmology, and space exploration, there is bound to be something of interest in the ArtScience Museum that will satisfy any museum hopper. American Museum of Natural History in New York, Centre of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona in Barcelona, Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, and the British Museum in London are just a few of the many big names from the museum realm collaborating with the Museum. The ArtScience Museum is certainly among the best museums in both Singapore and the world. Get ready to feel stimulated and entertained by the world-class innovations and art. A visit to the ArtScience Museum is no ordinary museum trip. Just be sure to spare enough time for there is just so much to see in the ArtScience Museum Singapore!
Address: 6 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018974
Asian Civilisations Museum
With Singapore’s rich history as a trading port, traders, sailors, and adventurers have traversed the shiny city from all over the world for centuries. Travel back in time at the Asian Civilisations Museum, and see the history and development of culture, religion, arts, as well as the exchange of ideas brought about by international trading.
The Asian Civilisations Museum is the only museum in Asia with a pan-Asian scope, and it focuses on the many historical connections between cultures and civilisations in Asia, and between Asia and the world. The Asian Civilisations Museum is the best museum in not just Singapore but the world for exploring the rich artistic heritage of Asia through their outstanding collection and exhibitions. Managed by the National Heritage Board of the Singaporean Government, the Asian Civilisations Museum is Singapore’s national museum of Asian antiquities and decorative art. With a colourful plethora of exhibitions, tours, festivals, and lectures year-round, the Asian Civilisations Museum certainly deserves a seat on our list of museums to visit in Singapore.
Address: 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555
Singapore Art Museum
Opened in 1996 as the first art museum in Singapore, do not be beguiled by the grand antique exterior of the Singapore Art Museum. One of the best museums in Singapore for a taste of contemporary art from a Southeast Asian perspective for art lovers, the Singapore Art Museum is a contemporary art museum advocating for making interdisciplinary contemporary arts accessible to the public.
The Singapore Art Museum has built up one of the most conspicuous public collections of Southeast Asian contemporary art, making it a stimulating and creative space in the city through its vast exhibitions and public programmes. Contemporary art from Singapore and Southeast Asia is diverse, dynamic and multifaceted. The Singapore Art Museum adopts an approach of connecting transformative, thought-provoking and meaningful everyday encounters with art, where visitors can get lost in their exploration of the endless collection of iconic works from all walks of contemporary artists, be it acclaimed or up-and-coming.
Address: 71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555
With all that museum hopping, a convenient spot for cosy relaxation to wind down is just what you need in the ever-bustling city of Singapore. Retreat and rejuvenate at the tranquillity of Lanson Place Winsland, a lush, green oasis at the heart of the vibrant Somerset neighbourhood and merely one block away from Orchard Road. With MRT access just steps away, Lanson Place Winsland blends urban-centre convenience, tranquillity, and signature home comforts in one of the most sought-after abodes of Singapore.
