Like the name suggests, the ArtScience Museum brings together art and technology in the same space. The building’s notable design (it looks like a lotus flower) and its proximity to the Marina Bay Sands makes it an interesting feature in photographs.

Great for kids, as the frequently changing exhibits are usually interactive. Don’t miss the permanent exhibit “Future Worlds“, especially the Crystal Universe installation. While you’re here, we also recommend taking a stroll over the Helix Bridge to get a good view of the Marina Bay Sands, and the ArtScience Museum from a more camera-friendly angle.

Detailed visitor information is available here.

Address: 6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974.

The Asian Civilizations Museum (ACM) first opened its doors in 1997, and moved to its current location in 2003. Since then, it’s housed exhibits that showcase the history of Asia and Southeast Asia. Of note is the permanent exhibit “Tang Shipwreck” where you can view fragments of ceramics and precious goods from the Tang Dynasty era (618-907), extracted from a shipwreck discovered in Indonesia in 1998.

Guided tours, available in multiple languages, are highly recommended – the volunteer docents know their stuff.

The museum café, Privé ACM, is a peaceful space designed with vintage touches like rattan seating and a traditional kopitiam-style counter. Grab a table outside to get a view of the Singapore River and Boat Quay. Bonus: From here, you can walk to a statue of Sir Stamford Raffles which marks the site where he first landed on Singapore in 1819 and claimed the island for the British. Feel free to cheer or jeer.

Detailed visitor information can be found here.

Address: 1 Empress Pl, Singapore 179555.

The Former Ford Factory is literally an old Ford car manufacturing plant. But not just any old car manufacturing plant. During WWII, this was the site of the British surrender of Singapore to the Japanese, a day that precipitated a dark era in Singapore’s history.

Japanese forces occupied Singapore from 1942 to 1945. The Former Ford Factory is now a national monument and museum that covers Singapore history from just before the occupation through to the immediate post-war period. The museum is small and you’ll get through it really quickly, but it captures what life was like in Singapore before it became the affluent society it is today. My family lived through the horrors of the Japanese occupation in Singapore and Malaya, so the exhibits here struck an emotional chord. My parents were born in 1945 and 1947, so learning more about this period helped me connect to my grandparents’ experience. I can also now better appreciate my parents’ gratefulness for Singapore’s later success, considering the odds that faced them, the Pioneer Generation.

You may only appreciate this museum if you have some connection or prior familiarity with WWII history. It’s also a little out of the way, with not much else to do around it, so it may not be worth the trek.

Detailed visitor information is available here.

Address: 351 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588192.

Gillman Barracks used to be military barracks for the British and for the Singapore Armed Forces, but today is a cluster of buildings in a quiet, tree-filled setting that houses art galleries, cafés, and the Nanyang Technological University Centre for Contemporary Art (NTU CCA).

If you like contemporary Asian art, Gillman Barracks is a worthwhile place for you to wander for a couple hours. When we were there, we were fortunate to view work by Melati Suryodarmo (a performance artist and protegée of Marina Abramovic) and Chen Wei (an artist from Beijing who makes lifelike miniature models of scenes and photographs them).

Creamier, a local ice cream shop, has a café here if you need some relief from the heat. The Southern Ridges trail also picks up close to Gillman Barracks, and you could combine a hike with your visit.

Detailed visitor information is available here.

Address: 9 Lock Road, Singapore 108937.