So, I’m one of those nerds people who love to visit museums and art galleries even though I don’t get to do it often (thanks to work and other responsibilities in life). But during my short 2-year stint working in Singapore, I managed to visit a few exhibitions that have only made me fall even more in love with the whole experience. I’ve been to the Titanic and NASA exhibitions that were held in the ArtScience Museum. I also managed to visit the Yayoi Kusama art exhibition at the National Gallery Singapore twice! All of them were such eye-opening and fun experiences and they don’t even cost that much (usually free for Singaporeans and PRs).
Not to mention, Singapore has an abundance of museums and this list which contains 9 of them is really the tip of the iceberg. If you are looking for a fun date idea or a place to spend a meaningful day with your family, just head to any of the museums on this list!
1. ArtScience Museum
I… love this place and I would honestly put it on my itinerary whenever I visit Singapore. The ArtScience Museum, which combines art, science, design, media, architecture, and technology, has hosted major exhibitions and pieces by illustrious artists including Andy Warhol, Salvatore Dali, and Leonardo da Vinci. Make sure to check out its permanent exhibition Future World: Where Art Meets Science to experience an immersive voyage through the digital art installations which get refreshed every few months.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
2. Singapore Art Museum (SAM)
Although the heritage buildings at Bras Basah Road and Queen Street are closed for redevelopment and will only reopen in 2026, you can visit SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark instead. Enjoy live music and art after hours at their SAM Late Nights event or have a fun-filled family time during their SAMily Funday. In terms of exhibitions, there are a few that are ongoing and if you are looking to take some cool pics for the gram, do head over to the The Oort Cloud and the Blue Mountain installation!
Website | Facebook | Instagram
3. National Gallery Singapore
Housing the largest public collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian modern art in the world, the National Art Gallery is found within two national monuments – City Hall and the former Supreme Court. This is where I went to see the Yayoi Kusama’s exhibition titled Life is the Heart of a Rainbow back in 2017. The buildings themselves are gorgeous inside and out – restored and transformed into 64,000 square meters of space to create a memorable experience to anyone who walks through.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
4. Red Dot Design Museum
The building might not look very big from the outside, but the Red Dot Design Museum have over 300 design works that are award-winning prototypes in the fields of product design, communication design, and innovative concepts. Located along the waterfront promenade at Marina Bay, it is one of the top 8 design museums in the world and the physical embodiment of the Red Dot Design Award. There is also a design shop (at the site and online) where you can find some pretty cool and interesting stuff.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
5. National Museum of Singapore
The National Museum of Singapore is the oldest museum in Singapore with history that dates back to 1849 where it was known as the Raffles Library and Museum. It was then moved to where it is now on Stamford Road in 1887. There are two main galleries: the Singapore History Gallery, which chronicles Singapore’s history from its inception in the 14th century to the present, and the Singapore Living Galleries, which are divided into four sections based on four different themes: food, fashion, film, and photography. All of them worth your visit!
Website | Facebook | Instagram
6. Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
The first natural history museum in Southeast Asia is in Singapore. Over 2,000 specimens of Southeast Asian plants and animals are on display in the Lee Kong Chian National History Museum, which spans two floors, 15 zones, and 2,500 square metres. The opportunity to get up close and personal with three dinosaur fossils that are 150 million years old is probably the highlight of your visit. Sounds like the perfect place to bring curious children for an outing, doesn’t it?
Website | Facebook | Instagram
7. Republic of Singapore Air Force Museum
If like me, you have been obsessed with the latest Top Gun movie and I don’t mean just for the beach volleyball scene, you are in for a treat at the Republic of Singapore Air Force Museum. The museum features nine indoor galleries where you can learn the evolution of the Republic of Singapore Air Force from its beginnings as the Royal Air Force in 1927 to the present day. Interactive displays and activities help to make the visit more fun. You will also get the chance to see the real life-size fighter planes in the outdoor gallery.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
8. Singapore Musical Box Museum
A museum dedicated to musical boxes? Yes, I would go! With the goal to educate the public about the historical background of the musical box, including its growth and decline as well as how it arrived in Singapore in the 19th century, the Singapore Musical Box Museum opened its doors to the public in 2015. They have over 40 antique musical boxes on display with notable features such as “China”, one of the first collaborations on musical boxes between Britain and Singapore.
9. Vintage Camera Museum
The building is a literal camera at the Vintage Camera Museum with the lens being the front door. From spy cameras like the kind you would find in a James Bond movie to wartimes cameras that are used to spy on the enemy to all kinds of antique cameras, the Vintage Camera Museum has it all. There are around 1000 cameras on display. Not only that, but the museum also includes a unique collection of photographs, including an exact duplicate of the first photograph ever taken. Come on, that sounds fascinating, right?
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Enjoyed this? You might like this too:
