Enter a world of wonder at the National Heritage Board’s new Children’s Museum Singapore (CMSG), the first museum in Singapore dedicated to children who are 12 years old and below.
From 10 December, children can take a voyage back in time to olden day Singapore, discover the wonders of nature, explore how our local communities celebrate birthdays and more, when the museum opens its doors.
Guided by its tagline “Start with Wonder”, CMSG will function as a ‘starter museum’ to introduce young visitors and their families to the museum-going experience, sustain and nurture a sense of curiosity to explore, experiment, and facilitate a conducive environment for learning through play.
Its curatorial approach is supported by educators and industry professionals, who gave inputs on the museum’s pedagogical strategies for the development of life skills. CMSG will also work with interested researchers on the value of play for children, and will organise educational programmes in collaboration with educators throughout the year to cater to children of different age groups and abilities.
By inviting children to get hands-on with interactives, stories and everyday objects, the museum is full of enriching opportunities to learn about Singapore’s heritage and culture, and spark discovery about themselves and the world around them. It features a permanent exhibition that spans four galleries on the ground floor and three special galleries on the second level that will be refreshed regularly. Each gallery is designed to stimulate the senses, evoke curiosity and motivate learning.
Permanent Galleries
The journey unfolds with the introduction of WonderBot, CMSG’s mascot from the future who helps to ‘teleport’ you through different time periods in Singapore, and the adventurous sea-faring Captain, a virtual companion who will assign tasks for visitors through this experiential voyage through time.
As you make your way through the four galleries – Hidden Chamber, Ahoy Singapore!, The Marketplace and My Neighbourhood – you will be met with multimedia interactives, artefacts from the National Collection, and more to deepen your insight into Singapore’s early history as a port city, to become a modern-day metropolis.
CMSG invites children to get hands-on with the exhibits, as they set out to complete the Captain’s tasks such as tying a reef knot, or activating a water pump. Designed to evoke the senses, children will also catch a whiff of aromatic spices on board the Captain’s ship, or figure out what is causing the musty smell in the ship’s cargo hold. Woven into the exhibits are also the stories of Singapore’s early migrants and settlers who persevered through difficulties and overcame hardships to build Singapore, imparting to children the value of resilience and unity to forge a new nation.
The final gallery, which catapults you into a present-day setting, pays tribute to the Singapore Philatelic Museum with a recreation of a post office. Here, children are introduced to a modern neighbourhood with the post office taking centre stage. They can enjoy displays of stamps, or even design their own and watch it come “alive” in a stamp parade!
Special Galleries
As visitors make their way to the second level, they will continue their adventure into three special galleries:
Imagine a Garden
Featuring life-like paper sculptures of birds and flowers by Colombian artist Diana Beltrán Herrera.
Happy Birthday!
Explores various cultural birthday practices in Singapore and values associated with familial love and gift-giving.
Play Pod
A safe space for toddlers ages two to four to learn more about fruits and vegetables through active play.
Opening Weekend Birthday Bash
CMSG’s grand opening will kick off to the public with an Opening Weekend Birthday Bash. Families can look forward to being among the first to experience CMSG’s galleries, as well as an exciting line-up of dance, music and theatre performances throughout the day at the outdoor stage.
You also have a chance to win attractive prizes through carnival activities and game booths. The full list of programmes for CMSG’s Birthday Bash can be found on CMSG’s website.
With its focus on interactivity and hands-on experiences, museum-goers are required to pre-book tickets here in order to secure general admission slots and carnival tickets for the Opening Weekend Birthday Bash.
- Opening Weekend Birthday Bash (10 & 11 December 2022): Entry is free for children aged 12 years and below, while accompanying adults must purchase a ticket at $10 per adult.
- General admission: Free entry for all from 13 December 2022 onwards until 31 March 2023.
As part of the opening special, CMSG will also be presenting workshops on 17 and 18 December 2022 with some of its partners. These include specially curated craft sessions and activities that invite parent-child bonding. Registration will open from 9 December 2022.
