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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story of the forest

Story of the Forest

Ongoing
Level 2,
Glass Rotunda
Daily from 10am – 7pm Last admission at 6.30pm
Free admission for Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and visitors aged 6 years and below
Created by the renowned Japanese digital art collective teamLab, Story of the Forest is an immersive installation that transforms 69 drawings from the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings into three-dimensional animations. The artwork touches on various histories, that of the site it is presented in as well as the muses it features. Through a virtual and visual landscape, this installation Singapore’s colonial past with its present-day modernity.
story of the forest

Presented in the Glass Rotunda, Story of the Forest is a compelling reminder of our museum’s significance. Framed by the natural foliage of Fort Canning, the Glass Rotunda stands as a modern architectural response to our museum’s 19th-century neo-Palladian Rotunda, which has existed since the institution’s opening in 1887. The second level of the original Rotunda is home to the Goh Seng Choo Gallery, which is dedicated to the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings – our museum’s most prized collection.

Story of the Forest draws its inspiration from this treasured collection. Through stunning artistry and creative technology, it invites you to interact with the animated wildlife of the Malay Peninsula in the 19th century up close.

You can also enhance your visit with our Story of the Forest mobile app, which lets you “capture” and learn more about the various flora and fauna in the Glass Rotunda.
Download the free mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

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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!