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The Singapore Night Festival lights up the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct each year with displays centred on culture, creativity and community in an illuminating showcase bringing Singaporean stories to life.

Join us at the National Museum for programmes held in conjunction with the festival! Explore our galleries at night with extended operating hours on the following Fridays and Saturdays:

  • 22 and 23 August
  • 29 and 30 August
  • 5 and 6 September
Galleries will be closed at 6pm for cleaning and will reopen at 7pm with free admission for all. The museum will close at midnight, with last admission to galleries at 11pm.

Check out our programme offerings below.

#sgnightfest

Programmes

Singapore Night Festival Mosaic

MOSAIC

22 Aug – 06 Sep
7.30pm – 12am
Front Lawn, Level 1
Free of charge

MOSAIC marries video mapping and music in an immersive spectacle, covering themes of astronomical phenomena, navigation, and travel through islands. Viewers will go on a stellar journey, weaving in between constellations and old-world cartographies to revisit the epic voyages in the region.

Known for its rich architectural heritage, the National Museum of Singapore serves as the ideal backdrop. The projection mapping incorporates elements of Kebaya and Batik, reflecting the brilliant cultural heritage and the flow of these textiles across the region.

About Jérémie Bellot

Jérémie Bellot, trained as an artist and architect, designs and creates architectural, visual, lighting and sound installations. His work explores the role of light in both lived and perceived space, through immersive audiovisual devices. Nurtured by polyhedral geometry and the mathematical arts, he offers a new perception of space while questioning our relationship with architectural and natural heritage.

Ena Eno is a composer, musician and sound artist. His artistic commitment focuses on acousmatic music, and his work revolves around multimedia projects that place the notion of space and immersion at the heart of his proccess.


Drop-In Craft Activities

Drop-In Craft Activities on Friday & Saturday evenings

22, 23, 29 & 30 Aug, 5 & 6 Sep
7pm – 11pm (Last entry at 10.30pm)
The Platform, Level 2
Free of charge

Join us for hands-on craft sessions inspired by Singapore’s island heritage. Whether you are just passing through or planning a day at the museum, drop in and create something meaningful!

Materials are limited, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Light the Way

Fridays: 22 Aug, 29 Aug & 5 Sep

Before electricity, kerosene lamps lit the homes and paths of islanders across Singapore. In this activity, participants will craft a lantern using recycled materials. Feel free to bring your own plastic container (clean and dry) for upcycling, to create a personalised and eco-friendly piece!

Waves in the Wind

Saturdays: 23 Aug, 30 Aug & 6 Sep

Decorate a hand fan using a marbling technique inspired by the flow of the river. Create a unique fan all of your own, and bring it around with you for cooling off on warm days.


Encounters in Time

Encounters in Time

23 Aug – 06 Sep
Saturday, 23 Aug, 30 Aug & 6 Sep
Various locations
Free of charge

Explore Singapore’s past with a seafaring trader during the colonial era, a victim of the 1954 floods, and a 1970s urban planner considering Singapore’s environment and its future. We're keeping the whereabouts of these special characters a secret, so look out for them as you move around the museum! Each performance will last up to 15 minutes.


Bayang Series: Legends of Southeast Asia

Bayang Series: Legends of Southeast Asia at the National Museum of Singapore

22 Aug – 05 Sep
Fridays: 22 Aug, 29 Aug & 5 Sep
The Salon, Level 1
Free of charge, subject to a refundable deposit of SGD 5 per pax

A specially curated Contemporary Shadow Puppet experience that reimagines the folk tales and origin stories of Singapore’s islands, weaving together maritime myths, age-old trade narratives and tales of legendary heroes. These immersive performances blend contemporary shadow puppetry, live soundscapes and modern narration to captivate audiences of all ages.

Check out the details of each performance below!

Walk-ins are subject to availability. Entry will not be permitted after the performance has begun.

Shadow of the Lion: How Singapura Got Its Name

Friday, 22 Aug | 7.30pm – 8.15pm & 9.30pm – 10.15pm

Long ago in the kingdom of Palembang, a prince named Sang Nila Utama set sail in search of destiny. His journey across the open seas was met with treacherous waters, roaring storms and a choice that would change his fate forever – caught in a violent tempest, Sang Nila Utama had to make the ultimate sacrifice. Would it be enough to guide him to safety? And what lies beyond the storm? An island unlike any other... a majestic creature... and a name whispered through the winds of time.

Join us in this breathtaking journey of courage, sacrifice and discovery, as we explore how a prince’s encounter with a lion gave birth to the name, Singapura.

Shadow of the Stone: The Story of Badang

Friday, 29 Aug | 7.30pm – 8.15pm & 9.30pm – 10.15pm

In a humble village by the river lived Badang, a hardworking young man with a quiet heart and powerful hands. When he catches a mysterious water demon and is granted supernatural strength, his life is forever changed. From clearing fields to lifting massive stones, his feats soon reach the ears of the king of Singapura.

Appointed as the royal champion, Badang must now face his greatest challenge yet – a duel with Nadi Bijaya, the strongest warrior from a distant land. Can sheer strength overcome skill? Will honour triumph over pride? Step into this legendary story of Badang, an awe-inspiring tale where myths meet might.

Shadow of the Swordfish: The Story of Redhill

Friday, 5 Sep | 7.30pm – 8.15pm & 9.30pm – 10.15pm

In the early days of Singapura, coastal villages were under siege – not by pirates, but by deadly swordfish that leapt from the sea and struck fear into the hearts of the people. Warriors and guards tried to defend the shore, but no one could stop the relentless attack... until a young kampung boy named Hang Nadim spoke up with a simple yet brilliant idea. Would the rulers listen to a child? Could his wisdom save a kingdom? In a time where envy and power reigned, sometimes a bright mind shines too brightly for those in power to bear. Will Hang Nadim be celebrated – or silenced?

Uncover the origins of Redhill in this powerful tale of bravery, jealousy and sacrifice.

About the performers

Bayang Troupe is a Singapore-based collective dedicated to the art of contemporary shadow puppetry and theatre education. We combine traditional storytelling with contemporary artistic practices to engage, educate, and entertain audiences of all ages. Our performances explore social themes, cultural heritage, and personal transformation through the unique lens of shadow theatre.

What makes shadow puppetry especially powerful is its ability to honour tradition while embracing innovation. It bridges the past and present, giving us limitless ways to connect with contemporary audiences through timeless stories.

Bayang Troupe has performed at theatre festivals and conducted workshops in Southeast Asia as well as in Europe. Bayang Troupe is also a professional drama workshop with a mission to train, guide and entertain our youths and the general public with the use and creation of contemporary shadow puppetry and its arts form. We are also the first shadow puppetry group in Singapore to focus on Contemporary Shadow.


The Art of Spice Making

The Art of Spice Making

23 Aug
8pm – 9.15pm
Reunion Social Space, Level 1
SGD 35 per pax

Did you know that Singapore was a crucial meeting point for spice merchants from all over the world in the 19th century? In this hands-on workshop, participants will delve into the fascinating world of spices and explore the endangered tradition of spice mixing. Let the spiceman guide you along with his years of expertise, as you discover new ways to spice up your world!

About the facilitator

Jeya Spices is the front-runner in Singapore for trading premium spices and protecting the heralded art of mixing spices. Its third-generation owner, J Jeyaseelan, continues to sustain the legacy that his family and forefathers brought to Singapore, having expanded the business into the online space and set up a spice factory where he manufactures his unique powders. He also conducts workshops to share his knowledge with young and old alike.


Healing Along the Spice Route

Mindfulness at the Museum: Healing along the spice route

30 Aug
8pm – 10pm
Reunion Social Space, Level 1
SGD 98 per pax or SGD 177 per pair

Immerse yourself in this perfume customisation workshop inspired by the spices that passed through Singapore’s ports during the 19th and early 20th centuries, such as clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. Held in conjunction with the museum’s special SG60 exhibition, Once Upon a Tide: Singapore’s Journey from Settlement to Global City, the workshop invites participants to create a personal scent by selecting and combining ingredients from a range of 27 fragrance notes.

About the facilitator

Founded in 2016, Oo La Lab is an experiential fragrance house known for transforming scent into a powerful medium for ritual, self-discovery and connection.

Through hands-on workshops and poly-sensorial rituals, Oo La Lab connects people not just to fragrance, but to each other – and to the world within. Choose from cult-favourite blends or co-create your own bespoke scent. Each formula is hand-poured using micro-batch ingredients, with thousands of unique combinations possible.


Piecing the Pieces Together

Mindfulness at the Museum: Piecing the pieces together

06 Sep
8pm – 10pm
Reunion Social Space, Level 1
SGD 50 per pax or SGD 90 per pair

Drawing inspiration from the porcelain and stone wares and sherds showcased in Once Upon a Tide: Singapore’s Journey from Settlement to Global City, this workshop will introduce participants to the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken ceramics are transformed into elegant masterpieces. Come celebrate and find beauty in life’s imperfections with us, as you try your hand at the mindful practice of mending broken ceramic pieces!

About the facilitator

Gold & Behold is Singapore’s first Modern Kintsugi studio, founded in 2021 by Winnie W, a multidisciplinary artist, certified Life & ADHD Coach and Death Doula-in-training. Rooted in the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection, Gold & Behold blends creativity with emotional healing through the art of kintsugi.


Singapore Night Festival at NMS
22, 23, 29, 30 Aug and 5 & 6 Sep
7.30pm – 11pm daily
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