A curious variety of museums are tucked away in the corners of our little red dot – if you know where to find them! From retro video and computer games to contemporary innovative designs, spice up the usual museum trips to the National Gallery Singapore or ArtScience Museum with the charm of smaller museums. Perhaps the young ones will get inspired to see Singapore differently.
Check out our list of lesser-known museums that are free for entry and worth a trip this March holidays:
1. JCU Museum of Video and Computer Games
We can’t get enough of the old-time fun.
Retro games enthusiasts, here is a shrine constructed to honour your memories. The James Cook University Museum of Video and Computer Games boasts an array of 300 games in the first permanent video games museum in Southeast Asia, ranging from the classic to the futuristic.
Replay your childhood with video game console models from the PlayStation3 to the first commercial home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey. Learn about the history of video games together with your child and introduce them to the fun of playing Pac Man and Mario Brothers. After all, good memories must be shared and passed on!
Opening hours: Available upon request
Address: 149 Sims Drive Singapore, Singapore 387380 (Located within the Singapore campus of James Cook Australia Institute of Higher Learning)
Admission: Free
Call or email in advance to secure your visit. Read more here.
2. Gem Museum
What a gem of a find.
What makes gemstones so precious? Learn how different gem cutting affects brightness and color, and follow the journey of a gemstone from inside earth to where you see it now.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 12pm – 5pm, Saturday 11am – 3pm, closed on Sunday and public holidays
Address: 26 Kandahar Street, Level 2 & 3, S198888
Admission: Free
Read more here.
3. Former Ford Factory
Drive into history lane.
Replete with historical stories, Ford’s first Southeast Asian motorcar assembly plant built in 1941 now tells the stories of World War II. The Former Ford Factory building was gazetted as a national monument in 2006 and was later restored by the National Archives of Singapore as a museum. Walk through oral histories and artefacts documenting how Singapore fell, became Syonan, and how we remember the legacies of war we left behind.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am – 5.30pm, closed on Mondays
Address: 351 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588192
Admission: Free for Singapore citizens and PRs ($3 for foreign visitors)
Read more here or check out the virtual tour here.
4. Red Dot Design Museum
The international Red Dot Design Award is one of the most prestigious design awards, and the Red Dot Design Museum houses over 200 good design works spanning across categories of Product Design, Communication Design, and Design Concept that were submitted to the competition.
From glass-landscaped fishbowls to an elephant-reminiscent fire extinguisher to lightweight wire-meshed chandeliers, the entire space oozes innovation and creativity.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 12pm – 6pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am – 6pm, closed on Mondays
Address: 11 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018940
Admission: Admission ticket + $10 food and shopping voucher, which can be immediately redeemed at their cafe (redeemable with the SingaporeRediscover vouchers), free admission for children aged 6 and below.
Read more here.
5. Singapore Chinese Opera Museum
Step into a world of colours.
Hidden away in the second floor of a Kampong Glam shophouse, the Singapore Chinese Opera Museum displays and explains the styles, costumes and props featured in the various types of local Chinese opera. See how the local opera scene developed over the years – and perhaps the intricate costumes will interest your inner fashionista.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 11am – 7pm
Address: 100 Sultan Plaza #01-27, Singapore 199001
Admission: Free
Call or email in advance to reserve a visit! Read more here.
