National Museum of Singapore

Original Building

Building, 1887

The front block of the museum building dates back to 1887. It features an elegant neo-Palladian design, a European style of architecture characterised by a highly symmetrical façade and the use of pediments above windows.

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Day of the dead
Day of the dead

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead)

31 Oct 2020 - 04 Nov 2020
The Salon,
Level 1
10am – 7pm
Last admission at 6.30pm
Free Admission
Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead as it is known in English, is a Mexican holiday that takes place on the 1st and 2nd of November every year to remember and honour family, friends and ancestors who have departed, thus celebrating the connection between life and death.

Although the holiday consists of setting up altars, visiting cemeteries and artistic representations of skeletons and skulls, the mood is festive.
day of the dead
The installation at the National Museum of Singapore will feature a traditional offrenda (altar) that is dedicated to women and a traditional tapete or carpet consisting of flowers and seeds with a design known as tenango from the town of Tenango de Doria, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

There will also be photographs of Mexican bazaars, traditional altars and Mexican musicians and dances that express the richness of Day of the Dead rituals and traditions. Visitors will also see traditional Mexican textile with distinctive designs and characteristics from the Mexican Southern states of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Yucatan.

Día de Muertos is one of the most relevant representations of Mexico's living heritage. In recognition of its strong cultural significance and traditions, UNESCO added the holiday to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. The showcase at the Museum is held in anticipation of the 2022 exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore titled, Life and Beyond in Mexico, which will feature artefacts from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), Mexico.

Día de Muertos is organised by the Embassy of Mexico, and put together by Mrs Lidia Riveros of La Jacaranda, the Mexican Association of Singapore (MexaSing) and the Mexican community. The National Museum of Singapore is a venue supporter.

Family Time

Visit our permanent galleries with your little ones and play spot-the-artefact! Our colourful Early Learning Resources introduce pre-schoolers to our artefacts according to the themes of Numbers, Colours, and ABCs. Available at $8 per set from the Museum Label shop. For more children's activity booklets, click here.

Museum guide

Download our museum guide (English, Chinese, Bahasa Melayu, Tamil) to find out about the many treasures in our various galleries. In this guide, you will also find the floor plan for easier navigation. Enjoy your visit!