The National Museum of Singapore is the country’s oldest museum and the best place to understand how a small trading post became a global city. It sits in a grand 19th-century building with a dome on Stamford Road, at the edge of the Bras Basah and Bugis arts district.
The museum is in the middle of a major refresh: its main Singapore History Gallery closed in November 2025 for a revamp and is scheduled to reopen in October 2026. In the meantime, two newer exhibitions tell Singapore’s story. Below you’ll find what’s on, hours, prices and tips for your visit.
Plan your visit to National Museum of Singapore
- Tickets: S$24 adult, S$18 concession (tourists)
- Hours: daily 10am–7pm
- Time needed: about 2 hours
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History of National Museum of Singapore
The museum grew out of a library founded in 1849, which became the Raffles Library and Museum in the 1870s. Its current neoclassical building, with its distinctive dome and stained-glass windows, opened on Stamford Road in 1887 and is now a National Monument.
It was renamed the National Museum in 1965, the year of Singapore’s independence, and became the Singapore History Museum in 1993. After a major redevelopment that added a modern glass wing, it reopened as the National Museum of Singapore in 2006.
Attractions at National Museum of Singapore
- Singapore Odyssea: A multimedia experience in the Glass Rotunda that takes you through Singapore’s past, present and future.
- Once Upon a Tide: An exhibition on how Singapore grew from a settlement into a global city, with objects from the national collection.
- Singapore History Gallery: The museum’s flagship gallery, closed for a revamp and due to reopen in October 2026. Check the museum website to see whether it has reopened before your visit.
- The building: The rotunda, dome and stained glass of the 1887 building are worth a look in their own right.
- Special exhibitions: The museum runs changing exhibitions and festivals, such as Singapore Night Festival events in the Bras Basah area.
Things to Do at National Museum of Singapore
- Start with Singapore Odyssea: It gives a quick, immersive overview before the more detailed exhibitions.
- Join a free guided tour: Volunteer guides run tours of the building and exhibitions on many days; check the schedule on arrival.
- Visit during Quiet Mornings: On selected days the museum opens early at 9am with fewer visitors.
- Explore the arts district: The Peranakan Museum, Fort Canning Park and CHIJMES are all within a few minutes’ walk.
National Museum of Singapore – Entry Eligibility and Open Timings
- Opening hours: Daily 10am to 7pm. Last entry is 6pm for Singapore Odyssea and 6:30pm for other galleries.
- Admission for tourists: Adults S$24; concession (students, seniors 60+ and visitors with disabilities) S$18; children 6 and under free.
- Singapore citizens and PRs: Free entry to the permanent galleries.
Prices can change when new galleries open, so check the museum website before you go.
Tickets and tours for National Museum of Singapore
- National Museum of Singapore ticket (Klook): general admission for foreign visitors, including Singapore Odyssea and Once Upon a Tide.
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How Long to Spend at National Museum of Singapore
Plan about 2 hours for Singapore Odyssea and Once Upon a Tide. If the revamped Singapore History Gallery is open during your visit, allow 3 hours or more.
How to Get There
- By MRT: Bras Basah (Circle Line) and Bencoolen (Downtown Line) are both about a 5-minute walk. Dhoby Ghaut (North-South, North East and Circle Lines) is about 10 minutes away.
- By bus: Many routes stop along Stamford Road and Bras Basah Road; use Google Maps to plan.
- By taxi or Grab: The address is 93 Stamford Road.
- On foot: About 10 minutes from City Hall or the western end of Orchard Road via Dhoby Ghaut.
Arriving at Changi Airport? Book a fixed-price airport transfer straight to your hotel.
Eateries Nearby National Museum of Singapore
- Museum café: The museum has on-site dining; check its website for current outlets and hours.
- CHIJMES: A restored 19th-century convent with restaurants and bars, a 5-minute walk away.
- Albert Centre Market and Food Centre: A local hawker centre near Bugis, about 10–15 minutes on foot.
- Plaza Singapura: A mall at Dhoby Ghaut with food courts and casual restaurants.
Other Attractions Nearby National Museum of Singapore
- Fort Canning Park: A historic hilltop park directly behind the museum.
- Peranakan Museum: The culture of Singapore’s Peranakan communities, on Armenian Street, a few minutes away.
- Asian Civilisations Museum: One of Asia’s best museums of Asian art, by the Singapore River.
- Bugis Street: Bargain shopping and snacks, about 15 minutes on foot.
- Singapore Botanic Gardens: A UNESCO-listed garden, a short MRT or taxi ride away.
Before your trip
- Find hotels in Singapore: Hotels in the Civic District and Bras Basah area put you within walking distance of the museum and Fort Canning Park.
- Get a Singapore eSIM before you land, for maps and ride-hailing apps.
The National Museum of Singapore is the best introduction to the country’s history, in one of its most beautiful colonial buildings. Check whether the revamped Singapore History Gallery has reopened before you go, and pair your visit with a walk in Fort Canning Park.
For more history, visit the Asian Civilisations Museum by the river or the moving Changi Chapel and Museum in the east.