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National Museum of Singapore

National Museum of Singapore

National Museum of Singapore
4.5
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
With a history dating back to its inception in 1887, the National Museum of Singapore is the nation's oldest museum with a progressive mind. Its galleries adopt cutting-edge and multi-perspective ways of presenting history and culture to redefine conventional museum experience. A cultural and architectural landmark in Singapore, the Museum hosts innovative festivals and events all year round-the dynamic Night Festival, visually arresting art installations, as well as amazing performances and film screenings-in addition to presenting thought-provoking exhibitions involving critically important collections of artefacts. The programming is supported by a wide range of facilities and services including F&B, retail and a Resource Centre. The National Museum of Singapore re-opened in December 2006 after a three-year redevelopment, and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2012. The Museum refreshed its permanent galleries and re-opened them on 19 September 2015 for Singapore's Golden Jubilee.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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from
$8.12
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  • feetfirst
    Radlett, United Kingdom148 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very interesting collection housed in a beautiful building.
    I went primarily because as a first time visitor to Singapore, was interested in its history. This was fascinating. What I didn’t bargain for were the other 2 exhibits. Namely, ‘ The Story of The Forest’ & the Very Old Tree . The former an immersive experience of the flora & fauna of the Malay Peninsula. Extremely beautiful & the latter, an exhibition of photographs & the intimate stories given by ordinary people as to why a particular tree means something. Really emotionally powerful.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written October 4, 2023
  • Keith K
    Alton, United Kingdom238 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Museum
    The National Museum of Singapore is worth a visit, it is the oldest museum in Singapore and has been in it's current location on Stamford Road for 126 years. The entry fee is S$10 for an adult ticket (sept 2023) and the museum is open daily from 10am - 7pm. The museum showcases the history of Singapore and the exhibits are laid out in chronological order, there is a modern feature of a completely self supporting glass ceiling as part of the building.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written October 14, 2023
  • Hotelman08
    Mountain View, California74 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A cool place to visit on a hot day.
    They had different price ticket that give you different access to the museum. I opted for the ticket that gave me full access. Unfortunately the day i went parts of the museum was closed. Even with part of the museum closed the was still a lot to see and do. I enjoyed the rotunda, it had a floral display that when you stood in the middle you felt full immersed. The train and the war exhibit were also well done. It is a great way to spend a few hours of your vacation.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written December 5, 2023
  • John S
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent for history of Singapore
    Comprehensive, well balanced and excellently presented history of Singapore. Plenty of room left for nuance and contemplation. Personally surprised by small coverage given to WWII massacres of - largely - ethnic Chinese population.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 6, 2023
  • LJ21
    Sydney, Australia129 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Definitely visit !!
    Definitely get this on your list of places to visit in Singapore. It looks enormous and will take all day to have a good visit but we did main parts in 3 hours. It’s extremely good!! We loved it. The history of the building itself. The main space gave us a great understanding of the development of the country. The additional exhibition about travel was outstanding … didn’t expect to see this. The place is free entry but do give them a decent donation . Nice gift shop as well. One of our holiday highlights as it turned out. Ps tack into this visit a visit changi prison museum and chapel
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 14, 2023
  • Dan L
    Bunbury, Australia8,821 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loved the History.
    Wonderful museum housed in a neoclassical building that opened in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee and the more contemporary extension opened in 2006. Loved the collection of artefacts dating from early times through the early colinisation of Singapore, Japanese occupation, formation of the State and to the present day. Exhibits are marred somewhat by poor lighting, not sure if it's to protect the exhibits or create a type of mood, irrespective, it made it difficult to view some exhibits and read descriptions.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 29, 2023
  • Natalia T
    Singapore, Singapore2,578 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice museum with exhibits about Singapore's history
    Went to see the Teamlab mini exhibit at the National Museum of Singapore. It's quite nice, but nothing like the exhibits in Tokyo and Osaka. There are a lot of exhibits on the history of Singapore, and one could easily spend a few hours learning more about Singapore's history.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 14, 2024
  • Paul Mak
    London, United Kingdom457 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Must!
    We had an excellent time! Due to having a limited amount of time, we thought it was best that we only went to the permanent galleries yet these were still very captivating and great as we were doing something different. Budget friendly and would definitely recommend. Staff could’ve been a little friendlier, but some were nice.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 16, 2024
  • Sam A
    Northern Ireland, United Kingdom19 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great for anyone interested in how Singapore was formed as a state
    A fine old building housing some interesting exhibits. The focal point and best part for me is the display area on precolonial and colonial eras, covering the establishment of modern Singapore, through the British era, fall To Japan during WW2 and then the surrender of Japan. And the establishment of independent Singapore in the 1960s. The exhibited artifacts are not always the most dramatic things you may see anywhere in a museum, but the walk though journey is well Done with lots of audio-visual displays.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written January 19, 2024
  • RoverP
    Inverness, United Kingdom799 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a visit for a potted history of Singapore
    We spent about 90 minutes here but would have loved to have had more time. There is an excellent gallery taking one through the history of Singapore. The story of the highly successful transition from colonial times, through the brutal Japanese occupation to modern times is told well. How the people of Singapore have gone about the transition is a lesson for countries around the world. The display also tells the story earlier times and is no less fascinating.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 8, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
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gloves44
Perth, Australia9 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This museum is a treasure! Fantastic exhibitions showing the history of Singapore, from the early settlers, to Colonial Settlement, to Japanese occupation all the way to today. Got the ‘access all areas’ pass which allows you to see the limited edition exhibition as well as the permanent exhibitions - it was worth it. Ended up spending nearly 7 hours here, it is that good. Highly recommend it.
Written January 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chelsea B
Milton Keynes, UK2,001 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
We spent 2 hours at the oldest museum in Singapore, the National Museum. The cost to enter was $15, which I felt was reasonable value for the amount of time we spent in there. We honestly could have spent more but we had other places to be. 

There was so much to learn about the history of Singapore. I particularly liked the mural that could be seen as you descended the staircase and the exhibits that showcased some of the vintage Asian fashion.
Written November 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eva
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Both the permanent and temporary exhibitions were worth while. Also, they make it interesting and interactive, and they offer daily free tours around for the ones who want to learn more!
I you want to see it ALL and you are like me, who wants to get the best out of it, you will definetely need to spend the whole morning/afternoon there...although this is very personal and up to each person.
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jim_atl
Atlanta, Georgia949 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I was lucky to arrive a little before 11 am and was told that a one hour tour was about to start. There were only a few of us on the tour. The tour guide was very interesting and took us around the two important old building. She showed us things I would likely not have seen and learned about the history of the buildings and and saw pictures of the way they used to look when they were the city hall and the supreme court. I then spent time looking at some of the art, which was interesting to see art of Asia and understand the way things used to be. To me that highlight was the tour and the two old buildings (and the way they were combined and updated to be a museum).
Written February 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

macedonboy
Glasgow, UK186,766 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
This is an amazing museum all about Singapore from pre-colonial time through the eras of the colonial powers and finally to the present day. I can see the enthusiasm in which the curators lovingly put together the exhibits. The information is excellent, especially in the use of personal testimonies through audio recordings and videos.

The Singapore History Gallery has some very high quality exhibits and a fantastic mock up of the quarterdeck of a ship. My personal favourite section was the Surviving Syonan which documents life and stories of the Japanese occupation. It really gives you an appreciation of how hard life was back then and just how good life is in Singapore. Another favourite is the Story of the Forest video exhibition. Children will love that one.

I was only planning for 3 hours here, but ended up for 5. This museum is one of the best things to see in Singapore.
Written March 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

naomiheredia
Bangalore District, India54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Family
We had the good fortune to visit during the special interactive display of Singapore's history. The tickets were incredibly reasonable although we opted to see everything. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece and we felt honoured to walk about in it.

The staff are attentive and helpful but not a bit restricting or "watchful". The special display was amazing beyond belief...the interactive set-up made one feel like one had gone back in time and were travelling forward with the island. After spending several hours on this alone, we refreshed ourselves at the excellent in-house cafe and then proceeded to view the rest of the museum's offerings. So absorbed were we, that we forgot the passage of time and emerged after 6 hours. I could do it all over again and highly recommend a visit!
Written March 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Orator11
Singapore, Singapore7,572 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022 • Solo
Had an hour to wait for the missus, so popped into the museum. Tickets are free for Singaporeans and PRs, and can be booked on the website. Though it is much easier to show your IC to the staff.

They currently have Dislocations, which features Singapore under the Japanese occupation. To be honest, we had just visited the Ford Factory recently, so found that the items were largely the same variety, though the displays were larger and there were more audio visual offerings. We particularly enjoyed listening to the narrations of life then, via the 4 old bakelite telephones. The diorama done in the Philippines of the Sook Ching registration was also very good. Loved the tanks that were on show as well.

Another exhibition showcases Singapore during the late 1950s to 1970s, and there was even a mock up of an old HDB flat furnished with items of that era.

To be honest, I miss the old exhibits when my mom was an art curator there in the 1970s, and I spent many hours wandering around. Those days, of course, they had artefacts like a large whale skeleton, as well as lovely paintings and historical pottery and statues. Nowadays, those collections are now at various specialized locations such as the Lee Kong Chian museum and the National Gallery. The closest nod to History here today are the exhibits on the old Singapore port, as well as nature sketches done by William Farquhar, which I enjoyed.

Overall, it was an enjoyable visit for 1 hour or so, though I felt a bit let down. A case in point is the HeritageFest exhibit next to the entrance, which features a mock up of a KTM train - that was a waste of time to visit.

They do have a cafe, as well as a restaurant called Flutes, in case you require refreshments.
Written May 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TravelgalCathy415
Napa Valley, CA629 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
I've visited the national museums in Amsterdam and Iceland, and found Singapore's to be equally informative, providing the history of how Singapore was formed. We visited just as Covid-19 was starting to rev up, so there were likely fewer visitors than usual. It was a great way to get out of the heat for a couple of hours.
Written May 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karim Z
Düsseldorf, Germany54 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Hard to describe here everything, but basically its the history of Singapore^^. WW2 and the seperation of Malaysia play the main role mostly.
I recommend it, BUT 18 singapore dollar and for the other thing 15 dollar or something, so total ~34 Singapore dollar is too expensive for a national museum, while meanwhile residents get entry for free. -1 star for that
Written September 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PC
12 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 • Solo
Overall, I found this museum quite average. The space felt “stretched” - like there wasn’t actually enough content in the building itself to warrant the scale (or the price for that matter).

For example, a huge and imposing 2-story glass rotunda contained a truly inane animated section with nothing to really say about Singapore or its history and culture. The number of historical artifacts was small.

The special exhibition on the impact of Japanese occupation during WWII was notable (scheduled to end May 2022 FYI).
Written February 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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