Singapore is a land of diverse cultures, traditions and backgrounds, yet everything compliments one another, making for a city that seems perfectly in balance. The place to start is at the brand-new National Museum of Singapore, located downtown in the center of Singapore. This newly renovated museum has hundreds of interactive exhibitions and displays that introduce the history and culture of Singapore. It's a world-class museum and audio guides are included in the admission price to help lead you to the most interesting exhibits dependent on your own interests and the age group of the visitors.
Some tourists may enjoy visiting Singapore's famous Haw Par Villa, which was built in 1937, and is the quintessential house of Chinese folklore, with 25 clusters of original statues and figurines replicating Chinese mythology. It's something of a joke to Singaporeans, however, many of whom were taken there in their childhood to be scared into good behaviour. You may want to give it a skip, unless you're into kitsch, and head for some of Singapore's world-class cultural centres. Visit the Asian Civilisations Museum, for example, and take a free guided tour to learn about Singapore's four cultural contributors--South Asian, Islamic, Chinese, and SE Asian cultures. The tour will teach you the names of the gods in the local temples you'll encounter, explain many of the city's artefacts, and give you an appreciation of the eclectic society Singapore is. Stop for vietnamese noodles or snacks in the trendy but inexpensive little restaurant Siem Riep, right next door; this is where the museum guides stop pre and post-tour.
If museums sound too boring to you, Singapore’s past is also brought to life at the Images of Singapore museum, which features life-sized figures, rare artifacts and other historical objects. Here visitors can recount the maritime history of Singapore thought the eyes of a Chinese merchant, meet early colonial leaders, and even relive the dark hours when the city surrendered during the Second World War. The museum is open from 9am until 7pm daily. A World War II museum hidden inside a bunker can be visited in the park directly behind the new National Museum and is definitely worth a visit for history buffs. More WWII history can be seen in the Changi Prison Museum, and at the Kranji War Memorial and cemetary on the north side of the island.
Lovers of public art (public statues, etc.) should visit the www.nusantara.com site for a fairly complete list of Singapore's many sculptures and statues that can be found in the botanic garden, in front of public buildings, or even along the river banks.
The Singapore Art Museum , which today resides in the restored historic mission school building at St Joseph’s Institution, is home to the national art collection. It was opened in 1996 and has 13 galleries with more than 4,000 pieces of artwork, making it the largest collection of 20 th century Southeast Asian art in the region. It is open from 10am until 7pm Monday through Sunday, with extended hours until 9pm on Friday. Singapore also hosts a number of private galleries worth visiting if you're interested in viewing or investing in contemporary SE Asian or Indian art. A visit to Tanglin Shopping Mall on Tanglin Road, with its many antique shops, can be just as rewarding educationally as a trip to a museum, but not everything is authentic so buyers beware.
