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.

Read More
FM SYB 878_494
FM SYBInner Image 700_500 Option-01

Semangat yang Baru: Forging a New Singapore Spirit

21 Apr 2023 - 13 Nov 2023
Basement,
Exhibition Gallery 1
10am - 7pm
Free admission for Citizens & Permanent Residents

Come, let us unite in a new spirit.
Marilah kita bersatu dengan semangat yang baru.

All Singaporeans know these words from the chorus of “Majulah Singapura”, our national anthem. The Semangat yang Baru: Forging a New Singapore Spirit exhibition captures the courage and dynamism of our early years, when the leaders and people of Singapore rallied together to build our fledgling nation between the 1950s and 1970s.

Explore lesser-known dilemmas that our founding generation faced as we boldly strove to build a society based on justice and equality. Guided by our foundational values of multiculturalism, integrity and openness, we confronted pressing questions of: What do we stand for? How do we move forward? Who could we be as a people?

Just as the Singapore spirit was born out of adversity over 50 years ago, this special exhibition presented by the Founders’ Memorial and National Museum of Singapore asks the question, what does semangat yang baru – the new spirit – mean to us today?

Look forward to an exciting array of programmes such as Behind the Scenes Curator tours, interactive bus tours, film-screenings and more. Look out also for programmes where you get to share your stories and take part in conversations that will help shape the Founders’ Memorial.

 

 

20230530-FM_Tour-97
Bus Tours to Semangat yang Baru

18 June – 22 October | Various Locations | Various Dates
$5 per pax. A minimum of 35 pax will be needed to confirm the tour.

What was it like to be part of a young nation finding its way in the 1950s - 1970s? Why did we invite foreign companies to set up factories here, or build high-rise public housing on such a large scale? How did our multiracial society find a common voice in spite of our different cultures? Come face to face with these challenges encountered by Singapore’s leaders and people during our early nation-building years, at the Semangat yang Baru: Forging a New Singapore Spirit exhibition.

Your trip includes:

• An interactive guided tour by lively story-tellers at the National Museum of Singapore
• Return transport
• A free goody bag with snacks

Please visit go.gov.sg/sybbustour for list of dates, pick up locations, and to purchase your tickets!
517_NMS_LKY100_WAYFINDING-MARKER_RGB_FA
LKY 100: Life and Legacy of Lee Kuan Yew (1923-2015)
This year makes the 100th anniversary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's birth. To commemorate our Founding Prime Minister's life and contributions to Singapore, the National Museum of Singapore and the Founders’ Memorial will be launching a digital trail spanning the Semangat yang Baru: Forging a New Singapore Spirit exhibition and the post-war Singapore section of the Singapore History Gallery.

Visitors are invited to embark on a digital trail to find out more about Mr Lee’s legacy, the values he embodied in his life and career, and how his ideas and actions shaped the path of our nation.
student resource visual
Student Resource
Journey through the exhibition with this activity booklet designed for students aged 13 and up. Better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by a newly independent Singapore, reflect on the core values that guided decision making and the evolution of a new Singapore spirit in the 1950s to 1970s, and consider how our founding values remain relevant to Singapore society today.

This booklet was developed in consultation with the Academy of Singapore Teachers and MOE Humanities Branch. Covering themes of citizenship, identity, and integration, it is suitable for use in learning journeys for Social Studies, Lower Secondary History, and Character & Citizenship Education.

You may download the e-copy of the Student Resource here.

Presented by

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!

You may also like

Pop up room thumbnail
Programme 04 AUG 2023 - 19 NOV 2023

NMS Travels: Pop-Up Rooms, Audio Tour & Sorbet Giveaway

In celebration of the nation’s 58th birthday, the National Museum of Singapore will house two new pop-up rooms that will complement the ongoing NMS Disco Room and offer visitors a glimpse into some of the popular sights around Singapore in the 1980s.

Glass Atrium and Basement Level, 10am - 7pm
Entry to the pop-up rooms is free, while visitors interested in the audio tour may reserve their preferred timeslot for S$5
building from scrap
Programme 08 JUL 2023 - 25 FEB 2024

Now Boarding Programmes

Explore Singapore as a traveller's home away from home with our special programmes organised in conjunction with Now Boarding exhibition.

Thumbnail
Exhibition 27 MAY 2023 - 25 FEB 2024

Now Boarding: Experiencing Singapore through Travel, 1800s – 2000s

Hop aboard the National Museum of Singapore’s ‘flight’ to discover Singapore through a travel-themed exhibition that traces the evolution of Singapore’s identity as a popular travel destination, through the eyes of those who arrived at our shores from the past to the present.

Exhibition Gallery, Basement, 10am to 7pm daily
Free for Singaporeans and PRs. Tickets will be on sale from 22 May onwards.
FM SYBInner Image 700_500 Option-01
Exhibition 21 APR 2023 - 13 NOV 2023

Semangat yang Baru: Forging a New Singapore Spirit

Semangat yang Baru: Forging a New Singapore Spirit is a special exhibition that captures the ferment and dynamism of our early years, when the leaders and people of Singapore rallied together to build our fledgling nation between the 1950s and 1970s.

Basement, Exhibition Gallery 1, 10am - 7pm
Free admission for Citizens & Permanent Residents