National Heritage Board | January & February 2025 Happenings!

This January and February, National Heritage Board (NHB) will be running an array of programmes and events for you and your family!  

So much is happening this January and February across the venues managed by the National Heritage Board! Here's a closer look at what you can expect in these two months: 

Museum Roundtable Lunar New Year Hongbao Campaign 2025

Photo Credit: NHB International and Museum Relations

Venue: Participating Museum Roundtable museums island-wide

The Museum Roundtable Lunar New Year Hongbao Campaign returns for its 11th iteration this year — this time featuring a charming and adaptable Snake uniquely designed for each of the 48 participating museums, heritage institutions and galleries. During a selected time period, members of the public will be able to visit these participating museums, heritage institutions and galleries, and collect a set of six pieces of red packets of that particular museum’s design. Collectors can also look forward to buying a limited-edition Collector’s Box Set featuring all 48 red packet designs. There will be a chance to win the Collector’s Box Set or a full set of red packets of all 48 Snake designs through online giveaways hosted on the ‘I Love Museums’ Facebook. Visit this link for more information on the campaign, including details on the sale of the Collector’s Box Set and online giveaways.

Speak Mandarin Campaign Red Packets

Venue: Online & others
Date: 13 Jan to 9 Feb 2025

The Speak Mandarin Campaign's “red packets” are back! Each set features five distinct designs, each with prints representing a unique Singaporean Mandarin term. These are suitable for use on different occasions, beyond the festive period throughout the year. Flip each packet to discover more about each term or phrase! Stay tuned to the Speak Mandarin Campaign’s Facebook and Instagram pages for upcoming giveaways. Else, visit library@chinatown in January 2025, or look out for updates on the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations’ Instagram page, for more chances to win a set of these unique, limited edition, “red packets”.

Lion Dance Performance @ the National Museum of Singapore

Photo Credit: National Museum of Singapore

Venue: National Museum of Singapore, The Platform (Level 2)
Date: 30 Jan 2025
Time: 11.30am
Fee: Free admission to the museum’s galleries on 29 to 30 Jan 2025

Catch a heart-thumping lion dance performance at the National Museum of Singapore as we usher in the year of the snake!

In celebration of the Lunar New Year, admission to the National Museum’s galleries will be free for all visitors on 29 and 30 January 2025. Visit the special exhibition, Amazônia: Photographs by Sebastião Salgado and our Eco Sanctuary – a multi-sensory interactive space specially developed in conjunction with the special exhibition, featuring themes of nature and conservation.

CELESTIAL: Light to Night at ACM

Photo Credit: Asian Civilisations Museum

Festival Dates & Time: 17 Jan to 6 Feb 2025, Museum opening hours Programme Dates & Time: 18, 25 Jan & 1 Feb 2025, 6pm to 10pm
Admission: Free admission to all programmes

Imagine climbing to the top of a pagoda. What do you see? An endless sunset, fantastical neon-lit skies, mythical creatures that soar through magical clouds? Join us in this year's edition of Light to Night at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM)! Discover storeys and stories both legendary and real, through an outdoor art installation, craft activities, and performances celebrating the architectural marvel of pagodas and the wonders of the celestial world.

Double Celebration at Gardens by the Bay & Asian Civilisations Museum Spring Blossoms: Legend of Lady White Snake

Spring Blossoms: Legend of Lady White Snake

Photo Credit: Gardens by the Bay

Venue: Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay 
Date: 17 Jan to 23 Feb 2025
Time: 9am to 9pm 
Fees: Admission to Flower Dome applies

Pagoda Odyssey 1915: From Shanghai to San Francisco

Photo Credit: Asian Civilisations Museum

Venue: Asian Civilisations Museum
Date: Until 1 Jun 2025
Time: 10am to 7pm (Fri extended till 9pm) 
Fee: Free* admission to the Asian Civilisations Museum upon presenting either a Gardens by the Bay Flower Dome ticket, valid Gardens by the Bay (Friends of the Gardens) membership, or an email confirmation from Asian Civilisations Museum at the ACM Visitor Services Counter.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with two captivating exhibitions steeped in Chinese culture and tradition. Gardens by the Bay ushers in the Year of the Snake with Spring Blossoms, a brand-new floral display in Flower Dome that draws inspiration from one of China’s Four Great Folklores—the Legend of the White Snake. Taking centre stage amidst a vibrant landscape of dahlias and festive blooms is a stunning 4.5-metre-tall floral rendition of the protagonist Madam White Snake. Also on display in Spring Blossoms are two intricately crafted wooden models of pagodas linked to the Legend of the White Snake—the Compassion and Longevity Pagoda (Cishou Ta) and Thunder Peak Pagoda (Leifeng Ta). These models, on loan from the Asian Civilisations Museum, are part of a historic set of 84 pagodas carved by artists from Shanghai’s Tushanwan Workshop between 1912 and 1914. The collection travelled thousands of miles to San Francisco for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915, where it introduced Western audiences to the elegance of Chinese traditional architecture. To view the full set, visit the Pagoda Odyssey 1915: From Shanghai to San Francisco exhibition in the Asian Civilisations Museum.

*Limited quantities available, terms and conditions apply. Please visit this link. 

Wan Qing Festival of Spring @ SAFRA Punggol

Photo Credit: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

Venue: SAFRA Punggol, 9 Sentul Cres, Singapore 828654
Date: 8 & 9 Feb 2025
Time: 11am to 5.30pm
Fee: Free Admission with ticketed activities

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2025 at SAFRA Punggol! In partnership with SAFRA Punggol, join us to celebrate the spring festival with an exciting line-up of programmes and activities for all ages in this season of renewal and prosperity.

Ring in the Year of the Snake with us as we bring you activities such as snakelet pineapple tart making, yuanxiao storytelling and tangyuan (glutinous rice ball) making workshop, lion dance and festive drumming workshops, Chinese zodiac ink rubbing art, Chinese opera mask making and more! Bring the whole family and join us for free storytelling sessions, mini-games and craft activities, and a Lunar New Year-themed travelling exhibition to enrich your celebrations. Lastly, don’t miss out on a spectacular line up of performances including the rare Hakka qilin dance, lion dance and wushu performance, Chinese string quartet music performance, and traditional Chinese opera performance - all set to wrap up your Lunar New Year activities with unforgettable experiences.

For more information about the Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2025, please visit the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall’s website and Facebook page, or follow the Memorial Hall's Instagram.

Discover Lunar New Year offerings on Roots.gov.sg

Besides celebrating Lunar New Year at the National Heritage Board’s museums and heritage institutions, you can also enjoy Lunar New Year-related content on our heritage portal Roots.gov.sg. Here are some articles and stories to kickstart the exploration:

• Intangible Cultural Heritage: Chinese New Year (see link)
• Intangible Cultural Heritage: Chinese Cuisine in Singapore (see link)
• Stories: Lohei, Our Way: Celebrating Togetherness, Tossing up Abundance (see link)
• Stories: Chinese New Year Greetings: A Throwback to Singapore in the Sixties (see link)
• Collection: Cake mould (see link)

Indian Heritage Centre’s Pongal Celebrations 2025

Photo Credit: Indian Heritage Centre

Venue: Indian Heritage Centre
Date: 11 & 12 Jan 2025
Time: 10am to 5pm

Celebrate the vibrant Pongal harvest festival at the Indian Heritage Centre’s farmer-themed Open House in the heart of Little India! Enjoy FREE Museum admission to an exciting weekend filled with cultural experiences, including a lively farmer’s market, hands-on craft activities and captivating LIVE performances. Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration that will be happening for one weekend only!

For more information, please visit this link.

Monumental Hunt in the Civic District

Photo Credit: PSM

Date: TBC
Time: 9.30am to 12pm
Fee: $55 per participant | Register here

Set off on a fun-filled puzzle hunt in the Civic District! Inspired by escape rooms and treasure hunts, participants go on an immersive outdoor expedition featuring nine National Monuments in the area. Facilitated and guided by a game master, get ready to put on your thinking caps to decode the puzzles and discover fascinating facts about these historic buildings and sites along the way!

Note: This Monumental Hunt will be recurring and will usually take place every 3rd Saturday of the month. Participants are encouraged to check the website regularly for the confirmed dates.

Programmes by Children’s Museum Singapore

Into the Hawkerverse Special Exhibition

Photo Credit: Children’s Museum Singapore

Venue: Children’s Museum Singapore
Date: Ongoing till 2026
Time: 9am, 11am, 2pm & 4pm (Please note that entry is by a timeslot basis)
Fee:

• Singaporeans / Permanent Residents: Free
• Foreign Residents/ Tourists: $10* (Child) | $15* (Adult) (*subject to prevailing GST rate)

The Children’s Museum Singapore’s (CMSG) new special exhibition, Into the Hawkerverse, introduces Singapore’s Hawker culture as an important part of Singapore’s food heritage and way of life to children (aged 12 and below). This exhibition is curated in consultation with children and aims to deepen their understanding and appreciation of Hawker Culture through play, activity and object-based learning.

For more information, please visit this link. For further enquiries, please e-mail: NHB_CMSG@nhb.gov.sg.

[Free drop-in storytelling] Becky Bunny’s Adventure’s for Life – The Hawker Centre

Photo Credit: Children’s Museum Singapore

Venue: Tampines Regional Library
Date: 18 Jan 2025
Time: 10.30am

Becky Bunny and her family decide to stop at a hawker centre for dinner after their stroll at a nearby park. What will Becky Bunny do when Little Brother gets into an accident? Will she remember to walk carefully in the crowded hawker centre? Join Becky Bunny and her family as they discover the family values of respect and care and concern. This storytelling session is in collaboration with Families for Life as a complement to Children’s Museum Singapore’s special travelling exhibition currently at Tampines Regional Library, "Into the Hawkerverse".

This is a free drop-in storytelling programme at Tampines Regional Library. Please assemble at the venue before the start of the storytelling session. As this this a free programme, participation will be based on a first-come-first-served basis.

Programmes by the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC)

Tiny Island Many Stories Travelling Exhibition

Photo Credit: Malay Heritage Centre

Date & Venue:

• 16 Dec 2024 to 12 Jan 2025: Heartbeat@Bedok

Time: Respective mall opening hours
Fee: Free

Singapore may be a tiny island, but she is rich with history and stories. These stories have been passed down through word-of-mouth or preserved in books and records, offering a glimpse into the island's history. Embark on a captivating journey and immerse yourself in uniquely local stories set in various locations in Singapore. From familiar narratives to lesser-known tales, the travelling exhibition “Tiny Island, Many Stories” breathes new perspective into timeless stories. You will also learn how Malay folktales are passed down. Unravel the diverse and vibrant narratives that form a rich tapestry of perspectives, essential for understanding the history, culture, and values of the Nusantara (Malay World) and Singapore. This travelling exhibition promises to offer a deeper appreciation for the intricate layers of Singapore's history.

I am a Little Jewellery Designer

Photo Credit: Malay Heritage Centre

Did you know that a diamond village called “Kampong Intan” used to exist in Singapore? It was bustling with diamond traders and jewellery designers!

Join our friends Laila and Oreo in this interactive video game where you can harvest your own intan (diamond), polish it and set it in a beautiful piece of jewellery. Your creation will also be available for download as an image file to keep forever.

Pssst.. redeem a specially designed sticker at the MHC if you flash your creation- while stocks last!

Access this online game here for free.

Changi Chapel and Museum

Photo Credit: Changi Chapel and Museum

Photo Credit: Changi Chapel and Museum

Address: 1000 Upper Changi Road North, Singapore 507707
Opening Hours: 9.30am to 5.30pm, Tue to Sun (Closed every Mon except Public Holidays, Last admission at 5pm)
Fee: Free admission for Citizens & PRs

The Changi Chapel and Museum tells the story of the prisoners of war and civilians interned in Changi prison camp during the Japanese Occupation. Managed by the National Museum of Singapore, the Changi Museum was revamped and reopened in May 2021. The revamped museum features new content and artefacts, including stories and personal objects collected from families of former internees, presented in an intimate and engaging format. The museum’s narrative is centred on remembrance and reflection, encouraging visitors to contemplate both the hardships that the internees underwent, as well as their courage and resilience in the face of difficulties.

Reflections at Bukit Chandu

Photo Credit: Reflections at Bukit Chandu

Photo Credit: Reflections at Bukit Chandu

Address: 31-K Pepys Road, Singapore 118458
Opening Hours: 9.30am to 5pm, Tue to Sun (Closed every Mon except Public Holidays, Last admission at 4.30pm)
Fee: Free admission for Citizens & PRs 

Reflections at Bukit Chandu is a World War Two interpretative centre that commemorates the battle of Pasir Panjang and the men of the Malay Regiment who fought in it, as well as the history of Bukit Chandu itself. Housed in a bungalow that is closely connected to the site’s history, the interpretative centre uses immersive experiences and contextual artefacts to present a multi-faceted look at Bukit Chandu and Pasir Panjang, while inviting visitors to reflect on our nation’s wartime experience and the brave sacrifice of the soldiers.