‘Check-in’ to the National Museum of Singapore for a Whirlwind Adventure in Celebration of Singapore’s 58th Birthday

The National Museum of Singapore will be returning with its ever-popular National Day Open House programmes and activities!

Venue: National Museum of Singapore
Dates: Till 19 Nov 2023 (Pop-up rooms and Audio tour), 9 Aug 2023 (National Day activities)
Admission: Free, $5 for Audio Tour

In celebration of the nation’s 58th birthday, the National Museum of Singapore will be returning with its ever-popular National Day Open House programmes and activities, as well as two new pop-up rooms that will complement the ongoing NMS Disco Room and offer visitors a glimpse into some of the popular sights around Singapore in the 1980s.

Exploring Singapore in a New Light

Inspired by the themes featured in the museum’s latest exhibition, Now Boarding: Experiencing Singapore through Travel, 1800s–2000s, the new pop-up rooms will run from 4 August at the National Museum’s Glass Atrium.

Travel Lounge

This room takes inspiration from Singapore Airline’s (SIA) Raffles Lounge which was first launched in 1976. The room spotlights three unique amenities and services that were offered on SIA flights from the 1970s to the 1980s – Slumberettes, custom divans that could be turned into beds located on a separate deck of the Boeing 747, which were precursors to the convertible flat beds on the first class seats; live in-flight entertainment performances on selected routes; and SIA’s one-of-a-kind dining experience, Hugo’s in the Sky. 

Hotel

There will also be a room inspired by the Goodwood Park Hotel in the 1980s, showcasing the recreated hotel lobby, corridor and hotel room, alongside a selection of objects specially loaned from the hotel’s collection including key cards, advertisements and postcards from the 1900s to 1970s. 

Audio Tour

Accompanying the pop-up rooms is an immersive audio tour that will take visitors on a self-guided exploration of the three spaces, through the recollections of a first-time traveller to Singapore in the 1980s. Titled ‘That Weekend in the Lion City’, the audio tour features engaging dialogue and soundscapes, whisking visitors on a whirlwind adventure across the island to experience the vibrant and bustling scenes of yesteryear Singapore.

At the end of the tour, visitors are encouraged to continue their exploration at the Now Boarding exhibition, and complete the protagonist’s story by solving a mystery. Entries with the most creative responses will stand to win a range of exciting prizes, including a 2D1N staycation at Goodwood Park Hotel. 

National Day Activities

The National Museum will also be celebrating Singapore’s 58th birthday on 9 August, through a fun-filled day of activities including a scavenger hunt, storytelling sessions, a coffee workshop, and its much-anticipated annual outdoor ‘live’ screening of the National Day Parade on the museum’s front lawn! The ongoing façade light-up featuring snippets of the commissioned short film on the life and values of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the colours and symbols of Singapore, and the National Day theme of “Onward As One”, will also continue to run daily till 9 August.

Admission

Entry to the pop-up rooms is free, while visitors interested in the audio tour may reserve their preferred timeslot for S$5 at go.gov.sg/audiotour2023. Visitors are also encouraged to revisit their favourite stories and exhibits at the level 2 galleries of the National Museum before they close for a revamp from 4 September 2023.

Admission to the National Museum’s permanent galleries is free for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents.