Where the concierge points people first
National Museum of Singapore — The oldest museum in the country, in a domed colonial building at the foot of Fort Canning. The permanent galleries tell Singapore's story from fishing village to city-state, and the building alone is worth the visit. (1.2966, 103.8484)
Asian Civilisations Museum — On the Singapore River at Empress Place, with collections from across Asia. The gallery built around the Tang shipwreck — a 9th-century Arab dhow found off Indonesia with its cargo of Chinese ceramics — is the one to see. (1.2874, 103.8514)
National Gallery Singapore — In the former Supreme Court and City Hall, joined under one roof. It holds the largest public collection of modern Southeast Asian art anywhere, and the rooftop looks across the Padang to Marina Bay. (1.2903, 103.8515)
Peranakan Museum 土生文化馆 — On Armenian Street, about the Straits Chinese and other Peranakan communities: beadwork, porcelain, wedding finery and the food culture behind Singapore's nyonya kitchens. (1.2943, 103.8491)
Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum 李光前自然历史博物馆 — At the National University of Singapore in Kent Ridge, where three real sauropod skeletons stand in the main hall alongside the region's natural history collections. A trip out of the centre, and a good one for families. (1.3014, 103.7736)
The rest of the museums in Singapore — every one we hold
- 222+51 (1.2983, 103.8512)
- 8Q Sam (1.2972, 103.8519)
- Air Force Museum (1.3467, 103.8994)
- Art Science Museum (1.3217, 103.7719)
- ArtScience Museum (1.2861, 103.8592)
- Astute Art (1.2808, 103.8192)
- Battlebox Visitor Centre 碉堡博物馆 (1.2961, 103.8462)
- Black Earth Art Museum (1.3086, 103.9029)
- Burkill Hall 伯基尔馆 (1.3123, 103.8137)
- Casemates (1.2586, 103.8084)
- Chinatown Heritage Centre 牛车水原貌馆 (1.2835, 103.8443)
- Civil Defense Heritage Gallery 民防与消防历史博物廊 (1.2921, 103.8491)
- Dialogue in the Dark Singapore (1.3342, 103.7772)
- Eurasian Heritage Gallery 欧亚人文化馆 (1.3100, 103.8993)
- Former Ford Factory (1.3527, 103.7689)
- Former Supreme Court Holding Cell (1.2902, 103.8514)
- Fort Canning Battlebox (1.2959, 103.8462)
- Fort Canning Centre (1.2954, 103.8468)
- Friends of the Museums FOM Singapore (1.2984, 103.8589)
- Fuk Tak Chi Museum (1.2829, 103.8488)
- Geology Gallery (1.2553, 103.8177)
- Geylang Serai Heritage Gallery 芽笼士乃马来传统文化馆 (1.3167, 103.8972)
- Goh Seng Choo Gallery (1.2963, 103.8488)
- Hell's Museum 地獄博物馆 (1.2839, 103.7817)
- Ibsy's Den (1.3523, 103.8810)
- Images Of Singapore (1.2540, 103.8176)
- Indian Heritage Centre 印度文化遗产中心 (1.3057, 103.8523)
- Istana Heritage Gallery 总统府历史展馆 (1.2994, 103.8434)
- JCU Museum of Video and Computer Games (1.3160, 103.8755)
- Jews of Singapore Museum (1.2981, 103.8505)
- Katong Antique House 加東古董 (1.3073, 103.9071)
- Kwang Wai Siew Peck San Theng Heritage Gallery (1.3456, 103.8443)
- Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital Heritage Gallery (1.3178, 103.8586)
- Little Mori's Silkworm Museum (1.3265, 103.8756)
- Madame Tussauds Singapore 新加坡万象馆 (1.2541, 103.8178)
- Malay Heritage Centre (1.3029, 103.8598)
- Mint Museum of Toys MINT 玩具博物馆 (1.2963, 103.8546)
- MOE Heritage Centre 教育部文化遗产中心 (1.3258, 103.8449)
- Museum at My Queenstown (1.2998, 103.7976)
- Museum Of Horrors (1.3011, 103.8360)
- Museum of Ice Cream Singapore (1.3030, 103.8119)
- Musical Box Museum 音乐盒博物馆 (1.2807, 103.8475)
- Muzium @ Ba'alwi (1.3208, 103.8228)
- Nagore Durgha Indian Muslim Heritage Centre 纳哥德卡殿印度回教遗产中心 (1.2815, 103.8479)
- National Heritage Board (1.2929, 103.8560)
- Nei Xue Tang (1.2751, 103.8411)
- NUS Baba House (1.2772, 103.8374)
- NUS Museum 国大博物馆 (1.3014, 103.7726)
- Objectifs - Centre for Photography and Film 摄影与电影艺术中心 (1.2998, 103.8520)
- Olio Dome (1.2971, 103.8512)
- Our Heart for Singapore Time Capsule and Learning Gallery (1.2969, 103.8485)
- Play Den (1.2889, 103.8513)
- Police Heritage Centre 警察文物中心 (1.3244, 103.8455)
- Raffles Archives and Museum (1.3460, 103.8453)
- Raffles Hotel Museum (1.2957, 103.8542)
- Railway Museum (1.3346, 103.7815)
- Red Dot Design Museum 红点设计博物馆 (1.2801, 103.8563)
- Reflections at Bukit Chandu (1.2795, 103.7941)
- RPC (1.2792, 103.8543)
- SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark 新加坡美术馆@丹戎巴葛 (1.2719, 103.8366)
- SBG Heritage Museum (1.3087, 103.8176)
- Scentopia (1.2547, 103.8136)
- SEAB Heritage Gallery (1.2876, 103.8305)
- Segar Village (1.3154, 103.8962)
- Sentosa Museum, Singapore (1.2512, 103.8182)
- Sentosa Nature Discovery 圣淘沙大自然探索中心 (1.2559, 103.8174)
- Singapore Botanic Gardens Heritage Museum (1.3087, 103.8176)
- Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre 新加坡华族文化中心 (1.2758, 103.8495)
- Singapore Chinese Opera Museum (1.3042, 103.8614)
- Singapore City Gallery 新加坡规划展览馆 (1.2795, 103.8452)
- Singapore Coin and Notes Museum 新加坡钱币博物馆 (1.2834, 103.8445)
- Singapore Coins And Notes Museum (1.2833, 103.8443)
- Singapore Maritime Gallery 新加坡海事展览馆 (1.2707, 103.8630)
- Singapore Pinacothèque De Paris (1.2953, 103.8467)
- Singapore Sports Museum 新加坡体育博物馆 (1.3014, 103.8734)
- Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery (1.2904, 103.8517)
- Special (1.2995, 103.8557)
- Spine Hall (1.2903, 103.8516)
- Straits Enclave (1.3093, 103.9023)
- Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Museum 孙中山南洋纪念馆 (1.3281, 103.8470)
- Supreme Court Wing (1.2934, 103.8542)
- Surrender Chamber (1.2540, 103.8176)
- Tan Swie Hian Museum (1.3158, 103.8869)
- Teochew Building (1.2953, 103.8435)
- The Archeological Dig and Exhibition Area 考古发掘与展览空间 (1.2946, 103.8476)
- The Cat Museum, Muses & Mansion of Singapore (1.3037, 103.8599)
- The Cathay Gallery (1.2990, 103.8478)
- The East Indies Museum (1.2975, 103.8504)
- The Gem Museum (1.3046, 103.8531)
- The Intan 土生华人博物馆 (1.3147, 103.9010)
- THE LUXE Art Museum (1.2990, 103.8470)
- The Maritime Experiential Museum (1.2583, 103.8205)
- The Parkview Museum (1.3000, 103.8578)
- The Private Museum (1.3031, 103.8484)
- The Private Museum 私人博物馆 (1.2981, 103.8513)
- The Sgh Museum (1.2810, 103.8354)
- The Studio/Rise of Asia Museum (2024) 亚洲崛起博物馆 (1.2855, 103.7815)
- TinyTopia: Colony To Nation (1.3032, 103.8590)
- Tools of Old Singapore (1.3047, 103.8535)
- Trickeye (1.2586, 103.8118)
- True Blue Shoppe (1.2941, 103.8494)
- Vintage cameras museum 古董相机博物馆 (1.3037, 103.8591)
- উপজেলা ডিজিটাল সেন্টার ,পুঠিয়া (1.2894, 103.8634)
- 新加坡佛牙寺龙华院 (1.2813, 103.8444)
- 新加坡國家美術館 (1.2902, 103.8520)
- 水晶風水館 DN Academy Pte Ltd (1.3068, 103.8954)
- 福德祠博物館 (1.2830, 103.8487)
Free for locals, ticketed for you, and three of them are a short walk apart
Most of the big museums are run by the National Heritage Board, and they are free for Singapore citizens and permanent residents but ticketed for visitors, so budget for entry or look at a combined pass if you are doing several. The National Museum, the Peranakan Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum sit within a short walk of one another around Fort Canning and the river, with the National Gallery across the road from the Padang, so four can fit into one long, air-conditioned day — useful in the afternoon thunderstorm season.
Questions people ask
What is the best museum in Singapore?
For the country's story, the National Museum of Singapore; for art, National Gallery Singapore; for Asian history, the Asian Civilisations Museum.
Are Singapore museums free?
The National Heritage Board museums are free for Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Visitors buy a ticket.
Where can I see dinosaurs in Singapore?
The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at NUS has three sauropod skeletons in its main hall.
Ask NUM which museum fits a rainy afternoon in Singapore
Everything NUM knows in Singapore →