The best museums to visit in Singapore

Established in 2002, the gallery promotes artistic experimentation in the mediums of print and paper, and boasts contemporary artworks in collaboration with various international curators, collectors and gallerists. Don't miss On Time, which presents new works by four Singaporean artists Adeline Kueh, Jason Lim, Ian Woo and Zul Mahmod. 

An offshoot of the famous red dot museum in Germany, the largest exhibition of contemporary design in the world, this local version is located along the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade. It displays the lates in product and communicated design made by winners of the prestigious red dot product design awards. 

This Asian art museum has over 7,000 artefacts and artworks divided across four collections. The Lee Kong Chian Collection consists of a wide representation of Chinese materials from ancient to contemporary art; the South and Southeast Asian Collection holds a range of works from Indian classical sculptures to modern pieces; and the Ng Eng Teng Collection is a donation from the late Singapore sculptor and Cultural Medallion recipient of over 1,000 artworks. A fourth collection, the Straits Chinese Collection, is located at NUS Baba House.

The main story of Japan’s victory is punchily told, alongside displays on resistance hero Lim Bo Seng and Force 136, and on the experience during the Japanese occupation. The ‘Surrender Chambers’, contains exact waxwork replicas of the main players, and is surprisingly effective at reconstructing the British surrender to the Japanese, and vice versa. But the main attraction is the sprawling structure of the fort itself. Wandering around the gun emplacements and underground complexes at your own pace give a material sense of a place lived in and fought for that is just as striking (if not more so) than any number of theatricals. You can also learn how restored gun battery Fort Siloso played a vital role in Singapore’s defence in World War ll. Climb through tunnels and examine original guns, cannons, film clips and photographs from days past. 

How did Singapore, the impregnable fortress and all that jazz, fall to the Japanese in 1942 even though we had twice the number of soldiers? Find out at The Battlebox Tour: A Story of Strategy and Surrender. The hour-long tour takes you into the namesake underground command centre, where the decision to surrender was made and re-tells the story of how Malaya and Singapore succumbed to the Empire of Japan in just 70 days. Guides also explain the roles that the bunker played during the war while showing you around replica and genuine rooms used by the military of the era. 

Housed in the country’s oldest fire station – a striking red-striped, red-bricked colonial building – this gallery showcases Singapore’s civil-defence developments from the nineteenth century to the present. In addition to antique fire engines and interactive stations where you can experience what firefighters have to go through in an operation, visitors can ascend the hose tower, which was Singapore’s highest viewpoint in the 1920s.

With a glowing glass façade inspired by stepwells commonly found in South Asia, the Indian Heritage Centre has a wealth of artefacts that are dotted around five galleries. They document and explore the history and culture of Indians, particularly in relation to Singapore, all the way from the 1st century to the present day.

Located at the historic Istana Kampong Gelam, this museum traces the history of the Malay community from the days of the earliest settlers and the sea faring might of the Bugis villagers to the golden years of the Malay entertainment industry. Featuring six sub-galleries, exhibits include the history of Kampong Gelam and contributions made by various Malay pioneers.

An institute built for the cultivation of everything scientific (yeah, science!), this kid-friendly institution features regular exhibitions that promote the physical, life, applied, technology and industry sciences. The centre also lays claim to Singapore’s only domed cinema, the Omni-Theatre, which is equipped with state-of-the-art IMAX technology.

The Singapore story is vividly brought to life in this centre’s five galleries of interactive and multi-sensory exhibits. Highlights include the Visionarium, the world’s first and largest interactive design studio with a 360-degree wrap-around screen, and the iWERKS Theatre, a flat-screen theatre that projects conventional and 3D giant screen movies. 

Go on a voyage with well-known seafarers like Marco Polo and Sang Nila Utama to learn about the Maritime Silk Route. Sink into its rich trade history with 15 thematic galleries. Be wowed by the life-sized Jewel of Muscat – a ship built like a 9th century Arabian Dhow. Have a go at tying classic mariners' knots at the Learning To Navigate chamber – a brand new interactive section modelled after a ship’s lower deck. Don't miss the typhoon theatre's 4D show of a ship navigating a tumultuous storm. 

This private museum is considered to be the largest collection of its kind in Southeast Asia, showcasing a collection of over 50,000 pieces of vintage toys. With rare or one-of-a-kind pieces sourced from more than 40 countries – some of which date back to the mid-19th century – it’s easy to get caught up in the past in this five-storey temple to toys.

Aside from the usual army of international superstars, visitors can take selfies with some of our local heroes and celebs, including Jack Neo and Gurmit Singh, at the A-List Party section. Another feature to look out for is the indoor boat ride, Spirit of Singapore, which is unique to the Singapore outpost. It features some of our native plants, models of sightseeing attractions, and glimpses into local culture, such as a re-enactment of a traditional Chinese opera.

Originating from Korea, the Trick Eye Museum at Resorts World Sentosa Singapore houses six zones with different themes such as ‘Safari’ and ‘Circus’. Each features three-dimensional paintings and optical illusion masterpieces that make for crazy photo ops.

Boasting a repository of over 1000 vintage cameras, the museum is the first gallery in Singapore that's dedicated to a collection of the analog instrument – in fact, the building itself resembles a massive Rollei camera. On display are everything from novel old-school spy cameras – think James Bond – to pistol cameras. Besides equipment, the museum also showcases retro photographs, interesting nuggets on photography and an authentic replica of the first ever picture taken on a camera.

Follow the history and development of various sports in Singapore from colonial times to the years of independence. In the Traditional & Indigenous Sports Gallery, you can learn all about local games such as Chinese hopscotch, chapteh and five stones, while the country’s top sportsmen and women are honoured in the Our Heroes Gallery.

This museum, which traces the development of the Republic of Singapore Air Force from its early days as the Royal Air Force in 1927 to the present day, has nine indoor galleries which feature air force artefacts and dioramas with audio-visual effects. The outdoor gallery showcases fighter planes such as the A4-C Skyhawk, the SF 260 Marchetti and the Hunter Hawker.

Head to the second floor of The Cathay and you’ll find more movie magic at The Cathay Gallery. This hidden gem is a time capsule of movie memorabilia wallpapered with vintage film posters of the most iconic flicks in cinematic history, such as the animated classic The Jungle Book and The Sound of Music.