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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CNY2021
CNY2021

Lunar New Year Celebrations

13 Feb 2021
Various Timings
Varies with Programmes
New Year, New Beginnings: Celebrating Reunion Differently

It’s time to rejoice and reconnect with friends and loved ones for this Lunar New Year! Celebrate new beginnings during the festive year of the Ox and head down to the museum for a special reunion with family and friends!

Experience our intangible cultural heritage and begin the morning with a lion dance performance, and join us for an afternoon of live music performance, as well as a special calligraphy workshop and storytelling presentation. Visitors can also look forward to creating a special souvenir for this festive season.

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It’s the Lunar New Year!
Let’s celebrate reunion safely in the new normal!

Lion Dance Performance
13 Feb | 10.00am | Gallery Theatre, Basement Level & Livestreamed on NMS FB |
Registration fee of $3 per pax | Registered participants are to be seated by 9.50am

Don’t miss an exciting lion dance performance as we welcome Lunar New Year at the National Museum of Singapore! Enjoy this energetic and high-spirited presentation as the lions dance to the beat of the drums and cymbals.

Limited spaces available with safe management measures in place. Register at https://liondancelny2021.peatix.com to attend this performance live.
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Wooden Craft Activity
13 Feb | 10.30am – 4.30pm | Glass Atrium, Level 2 |
$10 per participant per parent-child pair inclusive of all craft materials |
Registered participants are to arrive at least 15 mins before starting time

Create your own hanging wooden craft to decorate your home this Lunar New Year! Bring home this souvenir as a “new” item to ring in this unique Spring Festival.

Each ticket includes individual craft materials and each participant will have 15 minutes to complete the craft to allow cleaning time in between participants. Limited craft packs available and activity will end once all craft materials run out.

Visit https://craftlny2021.peatix.com/ to register now!
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A Lighter Side of History: Inking the Links between Chinese and Arabic Calligraphy
13 Feb | 2pm – 4.30pm | The Salon, Level 1 |
$80 per participant or $140 per pair (includes a calligraphy set) |
Registered participants to arrive by 1.40pm


Lunar New Year is an important event in the Chinese calendar. It is a time of reunions and feasting on festive dishes with family and friends. During this joyful season, homes are thoroughly spring-cleaned and couplets written in beautiful calligraphy adorn the doorways.

In this special workshop, hear from academic Dr Tan Chee Lay about the fascinating history of Chinese calligraphy. Joining him are calligraphy practitioners Malik Mazlan and Fatiah A'bdussamad, who will be sharing the similarities and differences between Chinese and Arabic calligraphy. Participants can also try their hand at writing in both calligraphy styles!

Limited spaces available. Enjoy a special discount if you come with your friend/parent or grandparent. This programme is suitable for all participants from ages 13 and above. Price includes a presentation by Dr Tan, Malik and Fatiah about calligraphy, a take-home calligraphy set (inclusive of brush, stylus, paper and ink) and a hands-on session on writing Chinese and Arabic calligraphy conducted by Malik and Fatiah.

Limited spaces available with safe management measures in place. Register at https://workshoplny2021.peatix.com.

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Live Music Performance by Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra
13 Feb | 2.30pm – 3pm |
Gallery Theatre, Basement Level & Livestreamed on NMS FB |
Registration fee of $3 per pax | Registered participants are to arrive by 2.10pm

Enjoy a special music performance by the talented young musicians from the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra as they play popular Lunar New Year Tunes!

About Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra

The Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra (SNYCO) is an orchestra organised under the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) National Project of Excellence (NPOE). Under the leadership of Music Director Quek Ling Kiong and Associate Conductor Moses Gay, SNYCO seeks to nurture aspiring youths to be the future pillars of Singapore’s Chinese music scene and will persevere in its mission to inspire, nurture, and develop our youth into exemplary music advocates to serve the community.

Limited spaces available with safe management measures in place. Register at https://musicperflny2021.peatix.com to attend this performance live. Seats that are not filled by 2.20pm on the day of performance will be released to walk-in participants.
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Mulan the Mighty – Storytelling by The Storytelling Centre Limited
13 Feb | 3pm – 3.30pm | Activity Space, Level 3 |
Registration fee of $5 per parent-child pair |
Registered participants are to arrive by 2.40pm

Come visit us and listen to a different Lunar New Year story! Hear the courageous story of Mulan and how she overcame challenges and difficulties to become a mighty warrior.

Each ticket admits one child and one adult (parent or grandparent) only. Limited spaces available due to safe management measures. Visit https://storytellinglny2021.peatix.com/ to register. Seats that are not filled by 2.50pm on the day of performance will be released to walk-in participants.

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!