National Museum of Singapore Celebrates Grandparents’ Day 2026 with Intergenerational Activities, Workshops and Performances

The National Museum of Singapore will celebrate Grandparents’ Day 2026 with a full day of activities honouring the stories, talents and passions of seniors and grandparents. Taking place on 21 November 2026, the celebrations will invite visitors of all ages to connect through shared experiences, discover Singapore’s heritage and create lasting memories across generations.

Centred on three pillars of active ageing and wellbeing, namely physical activity (#GetActive), social connection (#GetConnected) and good nutrition (#GetNourished), the programme features hands-on workshops, interactive booths, games, art showcases and talent performances. This year’s celebrations will also complement the newly revamped Singapore History Gallery, encouraging families to explore Singapore’s living heritage through conversations and activities inspired by the museum’s exhibits.

Co-created with partners including Lions Befrienders, Montfort Care, the Health Promotion Board and Enterprise Singapore, the event aims to give seniors a platform to share their knowledge and life experiences while staying active, connected and engaged.

Visitors can begin their day at the Marketplace Booths from 10am to 4pm at the Glass Atrium on Level 2. The ten interactive booths will feature heritage objects from the museum’s handling collection, health tips and guidance on using the Healthy 365 app from the Health Promotion Board. Visitors can also sample food products from Alchemy Foodtech, Fish Soup Paradise, Home’s Favourite and Leong Guan.

Other activities include pipe cleaner crafts and opportunities to try the stringless Smart Guitar with Lions Befrienders. Goodie bags, prizes, food samples and opportunities to pick up new skills will also be available. Some booths will close at 3pm.

Families can also visit the Table of Treasures free play area at the Gallery Theatre Foyer in the basement from 10am to 4pm. Featuring classic and creative games such as congkak, Connect 4 and Hawker Wars, the space is open to visitors of all ages.

At the Level 1 Concourse, the Our Voices, Our Memories art showcase will feature six large artworks depicting the lives and memories of seniors, reflecting on Singapore’s journey over the past 60 years. Visitors can also take part in a drop-in craft activity to create personalised fridge magnets featuring icons from Singapore’s past and present.

The showcase is organised in collaboration with Montfort Care, while the craft activity is supported by STAEDTLER. Visitors can also hear directly from some of the senior artists as they share the stories behind their paintings during two exclusive sessions from 11am to 11.30am and 1pm to 1.30pm.

Seniors will take centre stage at the From Kampong to Catwalk talent show, happening at The Platform on Level 2 in two sessions, from 11.30am to 12.15pm and 1.30pm to 2.15pm. Organised in collaboration with Lions Befrienders, the showcase will feature wushu, dance, ukulele performances and more.

Highlights include a skit following a kampong girl’s adventures, inspired by the famous Southern Cabaret nightclub in 1930s Singapore. An Intergenerational Green Runway will also see seniors and younger participants modelling costumes created from upcycled materials.

Families looking for more hands-on experiences can sign up for Hands, Hearts & History, an intergenerational dance movement workshop from 10.30am to 12pm at the Gallery Theatre. Designed for pairs comprising one senior and one adult or child aged five and above, the workshop will use artefacts from the Singapore History Gallery, including a grand piano, fishing boat and rickshaw, as inspiration for participants to create their own dance pieces.

Led by experienced facilitators, the session encourages participants to combine the experiences of older family members with the creativity and energy of younger generations. No previous dance experience is required, and participants can choose to move freely or remain seated. The workshop is free with a refundable deposit of $20 per pair.

Another family activity is the Intergenerational Bingo Game, taking place from 3pm to 4pm at the Gallery Theatre. Families of two to four participants, including at least one senior and one adult or child aged five and above, can explore the refreshed Singapore History Gallery in search of treasured artefacts before returning to the theatre for another round of challenges featuring familiar personal belongings.

The first ten families to complete a Bingo will receive prizes, while every participant who completes the activity will also receive a heritage-themed keycap clicker. Registration is free with a refundable deposit of $10 per group.

Intergenerational pairs can also redeem free resources at the Table of Treasures between 11.30am and 2.30pm. Items include a dragon playground Lego minibuild set and Jenga blocks, allowing families to continue playing together at home. Redemptions are available while stocks last.

Food will also feature prominently in the celebrations. At the What’s In Grandma’s Kitchen? intergenerational food-making workshop, participants will learn to prepare mee suah kueh, a pan-fried vermicelli cake inspired by a humble home recipe, and shuang pi nai, a traditional Cantonese double-skin milk pudding.

Taking place from 10.30am to 12pm at The Salon on Level 1, the workshop costs $30 per pair and is open to one senior and one adult or child aged five and above. Participants can enjoy the dishes they prepare together and bring home a portion of mee suah kueh.

The workshop is organised in collaboration with Enterprise Singapore, with selected ingredients sponsored by Fish Soup Paradise, Hiap Giap and Nuvojoy. All ingredients are prepared without pork or lard.

For those interested in Singapore’s traditional trades and contemporary hobbies, the Intergenerational Human Library: Traditional Crafts Meet Modern Passions will take place from 2.30pm to 4.30pm at The Salon. Recommended for visitors aged 13 and above, the two-hour session brings together heritage tradespeople and modern hobbyists for conversations about their crafts, experiences and shared interests.

Featured participants include coffee roasters Ho Tit Coffee Powder Factory alongside home brewer Bartley Brewers, local antique shop owners By My Old School, a traditional potter paired with polymer clay studio The Shy Crafter, and Jin, a young practitioner of traditional Chinese sewing techniques.

Through small-group sharing sessions, visitors can engage directly with the speakers and learn more about Singapore’s traditional trades while discovering common interests between generations. The session costs $10 per person, with refreshments provided.

Grandparents visiting the museum can also enjoy a special dining promotion at Dame Museum Café on Level 1. From 10am to 7pm on 21 November, grandparents will receive complimentary Fish Maw Soup and Lemongrass Ginger Tea with every order of the Teochew Porridge Platter, Kerabu Bee Hoon or Nasi Ulam Rendang Bowl. The promotion celebrates Singapore’s hawker culture, which is also featured in the museum’s refreshed Singapore History Gallery.

Visitors can round off their day at A Whale of a Tale Playground on the museum’s Front Lawn. Open daily from 10am to 7pm, the intergenerational playground reimagines the iconic blue whale skeleton that was once displayed at the National Museum from the early 1900s until the 1970s.

With activities ranging from heritage-inspired games and creative workshops to food experiences and live performances, Grandparents’ Day 2026 offers families an opportunity to spend meaningful time together while celebrating the contributions, memories and stories of Singapore’s seniors.

Most activities are free and do not require registration, while selected workshops and programmes require advance registration and refundable deposits or participation fees.