Sail Back in Time Along Singapore River at the National Museum of Singapore

In commemoration of Singapore’s 60th year of independence (SG60), the National Museum of Singapore invites you to embark on a voyage through history to rediscover the island’s transformation from a bustling port to a global powerhouse.
“Once Upon a Tide: Singapore’s Journey from Settlement to Global City” opens on May 24, 2025, and will run for 17 months until Oct. 9, 2026, at the museum’s B1 Gallery. Through this exhibition, guests can journey through Singapore’s 700-year history and discover how trade, people, and technology flowed through Singapore waters, which supported its development through the 19th and 20th centuries, and built the foundations of the nation we know today.
The exhibit features over 350 artefacts, some of which have never been revealed to the public, ranging from ancient maps, neolithic tools, historical photographs in oval daguerreotype, to antique weapons.
Some of the exciting displays include a panoramic painting of the Singapore skyline in 1976 by artist Lai Kui Fang, the country’s first-ever Paralympics Gold medal won by Singaporean swimmer Yip Pin Xiu in 2008, a daguerreotype and one of the earliest surviving photographs of Singapore from 1844 showcasing a view of the commercial center of Boat Quay from Fort Canning Hill, and a Chinese navigational compass dating back to the 19th century!


The exhibition will also hold a bunch of programs and events throughout the year, with a special opening weekend schedule happening on May 24 and 25, 2025 filled with music performances, craft workshops, and kids' activities to celebrate the exhibition’s launch.
Most of the programs and workshops, especially those that are part of the museum’s Children’s Season, are free to join such as the water marbling workshop, interactive character meet and greets of Singapore’s early pioneers, and the mission-based artefact hunt activity. You can learn more about the programs here.

General Admission tickets, which give you access to the exhibition as well as the Singapore History Gallery on Level 1, are free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign residents' fees are priced at S$24 (adults) and S$18 (students and seniors). Children aged 12 and below are free to enter.
For updates, follow The National Museum of Singapore on Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok.
Exhibition Dates: May 24, 2025 to Oct. 9, 2026
Location: National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897
Operation Hours: Open daily, from 10 AM to 7 PM
Admission Fees: Free for residents and permanent residents. S$24 (adults) and S$18 (students and seniors) for tourists and foreign residents.
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