Arts, Culture and Heritage

Immerse in activities which inspire creativity and discover more about Singapore’s diverse culture and heritage.

Arts, Culture and Heritage

Get Inspired by the Arts, Appreciate Our Culture and Heritage

Most of the listed sites offer free entry to Singaporeans and/or Permanent Residents (PRs). Find out more below.

 

Kindly note that all listings indicate the minimum mobility status (eg an activity suitable for someone who is bedbound will also be suitable for a wheelchair user).

 

Seeking activity ideas? Explore activity toolkits produced by AIC! Or check out our compilation of resources (including activity booklets) to support persons living with dementia and their caregivers.

Activities and Workshops

Find out more about the National Heritage Board’s heritage programmes ranging from guided tours, craft workshops, heritage trails and festivals. Email NHB_HeritageCares@nhb.gov.sg to find out more and to be placed on the mailing list.

 

For: Community Care Organisations only

Minimum Mobility Status: Selected programmes are suitable for seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Photo credit: National Heritage Board

Come experience Reunion, an inclusive space for seniors (including those with mild cognitive impairment and dementia), at the National Museum of Singapore. Through a facilitated programme, enjoy familiar tunes at the music booths or have a conversation with old and new friends while engaging with the museum’s interactive objects in the activity area. Participants can also create a digital exhibition with the museum’s Care Facilitator volunteers. Some activities are chargeable. Eligible Community Care Organisations can apply for funding under the NHB HeritageCares initiative. For more information or to check on eligibility, email to nhb_nm_programmes@nhb.gov.sg.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Madeni Jais

Explore a variety of free programmes with different unique themes presented each month by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/minimal walking)
Language: English/ Chinese/ Various Chinese Dialects/ Malay/ Tamil

 

Find out more and register here.

 

Photo credit: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH) Creative Hub uses a range of creative art forms, art therapy and Somatic Experiencing™ to improve overall wellbeing and increase awareness in mental health literacy. Programmes enable participants to express and explore their emotions through art, music, movement, and other creative activities. These programmes are open to individuals aged 10 and above. Some activities are chargeable.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking) for onsite activities, and seniors who are bedbound for online talks
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Courtesy of Gensler. Photography by Finbarr Fallon

Visit the National Museum of Singapore every second Tuesday of each month to participate in hands-on workshops led by skilled artists of various art forms, such as eco-craft and food making, to engage in new learning.

 

For: Public (seniors only) and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English

 

Find out more and register here.

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

Outings

Join the National Museum of Singapore on a conversational tour of their permanent galleries. Conducted by the museum’s Care Facilitators and based on a different monthly theme, seniors can explore a variety of artefacts from the museum’s collection. For bookings of individuals and group sizes of less than 5 pax only. For larger group bookings, Meet Me at Reunion programme is recommended.

 

For Public (seniors only) and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/minimal walking) for onsite tours, and seniors who are bedbound for online tours
Language: English/Chinese

 

Find out more and register here.

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

Join guides from the National Gallery Singapore on a journey to explore Singapore and Southeast Asian art and discover the rich history and architecture of the Old Supreme Court and City Hall that is now National Gallery Singapore. Tours are available onsite or online. Gallery Wonders is made possible with the support of Bank of America.

 

For: Community Care Organisations only
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking) for onsite tours, and seniors who are bedbound for online tours
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Gallery Singapore

 

Find out more about the National Heritage Board’s heritage programmes ranging from guided tours, craft workshops, heritage trails and festivals. Email NHB_HeritageCares@nhb.gov.sg to find out more and to be placed on the mailing list.

 

For: Community Care Organisations only
Minimum Mobility Status: Selected programmes are suitable for seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Photo credit: National Heritage Board

 

The Former Ford Factory, restored by the National Archives of Singapore, currently houses a permanent World War II exhibition on the war and its legacies. Join the walk-in tours led by volunteer guides to discover stories behind the collections on display. Each tour offers 20 places on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Archives of Singapore

 

Learn more about the history of the Indian and South Asian communities in the Southeast Asian region through the permanent galleries at the Indian Heritage Centre.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/minimal walking)
Language: English/ Chinese/ Tamil

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Indian Heritage Centre

Learn more about the contributions of Dr. Sun Yat Sen and discover the lesser-known details of Singapore and Nanyang’s involvement in the 1911 Revolution through free guided tours of the permanent galleries and special exhibitions. For senior-friendly tours, email NHB_WQY@nhb.gov.sg.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations 
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

Travel through 5000 years of Asian cultures with the friendly guides at Asian Civilisations Museum. Guided tours cover the museum’s permanent galleries. For senior-friendly tours, email nhb_acm_edu@nhb.gov.sg.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more and register here.

 

Photo credit: Asian Civilisations Museum

Explore the uniqueness of Peranakan culture and its diverse communities in these tours led by volunteer docents from the Peranakan Museum. For senior-friendly tours, email nhb_tpm_edu@nhb.gov.sg.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Peranakan Museum

Organised by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, this exhibition spotlights how Chinese heritage, cultural interactions and living in a multicultural society have shaped Chinese culture in Singapore. It also highlights the many facets of the distinctive Chinese Singaporean identity – from food to music, popular culture and language, to festivals. Guided tours are available onsite or online.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/minimal walking) for onsite tours, and seniors who are bedbound for online tours
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

Toolkits and Resources

Download a copy of the Befriender’s Arts Toolkit, developed by the National Arts Council with artists/art practitioners. This resource provides befriender volunteers with simple arts-based activity ideas that can be used to enhance their befriending journey.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair-bound (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English/Chinese/Malay/Tamil

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Arts Council

Walk down memory lane with the National Heritage Board’s Conversation Starter Kits that come in 4 themes – Places, Lifestyle, Jobs and Profession, and Rituals and Celebrations. These kits contain images of olden day Singapore, accompanied by a set of questions to encourage conversations.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese/ Malay/ Tamil

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Heritage Board

 

Connect with seniors through “Food Memories”! Developed through the National Arts Council’s Silver Arts Community Arts Residency, this arts recipe book provides activity ideas to enable you to better interact with your seniors in areas such as storytelling, drawing, stop motion and embroidery and where they can actively contribute. A great tool to kick start conversations!

 

The Silver Arts Community Arts Residency at LB SAC @ Ang Mo Kio 318 was an initiative by the National Arts Council in collaboration with Lion Befrienders Service Association (Singapore) in 2021. It provided artists with opportunities to engage and co-create with communities, to shape communal spaces, reflect collective stories and complement conservations surrounding Arts & Ageing.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations 
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/minimal walking) 
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Arts Council

Facilitate meaningful interactions and conversations between seniors, care staff and volunteers with the National Heritage Board’s thematic trunks containing authentic handling objects from the 1940s to 1970s.

 

For: Community Care Organisations only
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English

 

Request for the resources here.

 

Photo credit: National Heritage Board

Supported by the Chua Foundation, JADe is a capability-building programme which aims to train individuals to spearhead and lead in various reminiscence engagements for persons with cognitive impairment and dementia. Dementia Singapore remains committed to finding ways to involve and inform the community on the use of arts and reminiscence engagement to benefit more persons with dementia and their families.

 

For: Public (persons living with dementia and their caregivers only) and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Dementia Singapore

The National Museum of Singapore’s Moving Memories multimedia installation presents selected life-sized murals by Yip Yew Chong that bring one through the time and scenes of Singapore. The accompanying resource kit and colouring template were created to help caregivers engage in conversations and create mural-inspired art pieces with their seniors.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/minimal walking)
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

Explore objects from the past and share memories together with this app for persons living with dementia and their caregivers. A collaboration between the National Heritage Board and the National Museums Liverpool, it features a selection of familiar objects brought to life through multimedia features and images.

 

For: Public (persons living with dementia and their caregivers) and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese/ Malay/ Tamil

 

Download the resource below:

 

Photo credit: National Heritage Board

Download National Library Board (NLB) Reminiscence Library Package, a new resource prepared by the National Archives of Singapore, an institution under the NLB. It aims to engage and encourage your clients to reminisce through conversations and activities. It consists of facilitation guides and presentation slides on six different themes – “All Kinds of Everything”, “Kampong Days”, “Places & Events”, “Music 50s Through the 90s”, “Customs and Traditions: Birth Rites”, and “National Campaigns”.

 

View the “Come, Let’s Chat about Last Time! – NLB Reminiscence Library” video developed by Singapore University of Social Sciences to learn how to use the NLB Reminiscence Library Package.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English

 

Find the resources below:

 

Photo credit: Moral Home for the Aged Sick

Download these Easy Guides for a fuss-free planning experience to the museum and explore two permanent galleries on a self-led tour for seniors and/or persons living with dementia.

 

For: Public (seniors, persons living with dementia and their caregivers) and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

Engage seniors in hands-on activities using the National Museum of Singapore’s activity guide and craft-based activity template based on the William Farquhar Collection.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are wheelchair users (ie not able to walk/ minimal walking)
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

Videos and Podcasts

Engage Chinese, Malay, Tamil and dialect speaking seniors with these video playlists by 3Pumpkins. These playlists cover a variety of topics such as comedy, culture, folklore, history of Singapore, current affairs and so on.

 

For: Public (Seniors) and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese/ Various Chinese Dialects/ Malay/ Tamil

 

Find out more below:

 

Photo credit: 3Pumpkins

Listen to descriptions of key objects from the Asian Civilisation Museum’s collection from the comfort of one’s home.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Asian Civilisations Museum

 

Authentico Wind Ensemble (AWE) has been established since December 2016, drawing like-minded musicians with the intention to bring music to the community and the community to music. Enjoy their music through this playlist which also includes their concert held in June 2022.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese/ Various Chinese Dialects/ Malay/ Tamil

 

Find the resource here.

 

Photo credit: Authentico Wind Ensemble

Enjoy easy-to-follow videos by Dementia Singapore covering a range of activities such as cooking, art sessions, movements, sing-a-long and live music sessions to engage seniors, persons living with dementia, and their caregivers.

 

For: Public (persons living with dementia and their caregivers) and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Dementia Singapore

 

 

Listen to stories in Chinese, Cantonese and Teochew, specially curated by Trendsen Culture Enterprise, for seniors in eldercare facilities.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Chinese/ Cantonese/ Teochew

 

Find out more below:

 

Photo credit: Trendsen Cultural Enterprise

How does a new nation create an identity for itself? What was the most treasured electrical appliance among families growing up in the 1970s to 1980s? Find out more in the National Museum of Singapore’s virtual gallery tours to uncover facts and stories about some of the museum’s artefacts.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

Join the docents from the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall on a guided tour to explore the permanent galleries and discover the various aspects of Singapore history in this series of video tours.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

 

Learn how to play and create traditional Indian games and crafts such as Pallanguzhi, Kuzhangal and Shadow Puppets and the cultural significance behind these through a series of educational videos from the Indian Heritage Centre.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Indian Heritage Centre

 

Appreciate traditional Chinese arts and heritage through videos and podcasts of local Hokkien opera performances from Do Opera [Hokkien]. Featuring The Street Peddler 杂货记, an excerpt from Affinity of the Iron Bow 铁弓缘 and The Jade Pin 碧玉簪, seniors are in for a treat.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Hokkien (with English and Chinese subtitles)

 

Find out more below:

 

Photo credit: Do Opera [Hokkien]

 

Learn how different families keep Chinese traditions alive (eg bak chang, getai) through this video series by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

Watch an online performance on a breath-taking showcase of martial arts in this classic Cantonese opera excerpt of Yue Fei’s brave general Yang Zaixing’s battle against the Jin army, presented by the Foshan Cantonese Opera Troupe. This online performance is brought to you by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Suzhou dialect (with English and Chinese subtitles)

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

 

Watch an online performance on an excerpt taken from the classic and well-loved novel, Journey to the West. This performance of The Tongtian River showcases the uniqueness of Taiwanese Hand Puppetry, presented by the Taipei Puppet Theater (Taiwan). This online performance is brought to you by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Hokkien (with English and Chinese subtitles)

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

 

Watch online performance on two excerpts from Teochew opera classic Su Liu Niang – Tao Hua Crosses the River and Yang Ziliang Demands to Marry the Maiden, presented by the Nam Hwa Opera. This online performance is brought to you by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Teochew (with English and Chinese subtitles)

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Watch an online performance on the opening piece of Suzhou Tanci, The New Mulan Ballad based on the legend of Mulan. The ballad is a new pingtan classic that celebrates Mulan’s bravery and filial piety. This online performance is brought to you by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Suzhou dialect (with English and Chinese subtitles)

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

The Moving Memories multimedia installation presents selected life-sized murals by Yip Yew Chong that bring one through the time and scenes of Singapore, past and present. This video can be used with the Moving Memories Resource Kit, which includes an activity guide created by the National Museum of Singapore.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English

 

Find out more below:

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

Immerse in Music for Mindfulness by professional chinese orchestra The TENG Company — an innovative and evidence-based musical experience that promotes wellness and lowers stress and anxiety. Fusing ancient Chinese music therapy with Binaural Beat technology, the album encapsulates TENG’s signature East-West sound, offering a contemporary and convenient listening experience.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: N/A

 

Find the resource here.

 

Photo credit: The TENG Company

As Singaporeans get more globalised, dialect cultures are gradually forgotten. However, there are still heroes in Singapore who help to preserve local dialect culture, and encourage the re-discovery of what it means to be a Chinese Singaporean. Watch this video compilation by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre to learn more about Singapore’s five main dialect groups.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Chinese/ Various Chinese Dialects

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

 

What are some of Singapore’s native plants that can still be found today? In this series of videos by the National Heritage Board, learn about some lesser-known edible plants, and make your own pickled watermelon rinds and more.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

Celebrate the musical heroes of Singapore. Get reacquainted with the sounds of The Swallows and the magic of Normadiah in this mini tribute by the Malay Heritage Centre.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Malay

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Malay Heritage Centre

 

A video playlist comprising cooking videos by the Malay Heritage Centre, each video features much-loved recipes and treats including how to make onde-onde, lontong goreng, etc.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Malay

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Malay Heritage Centre

 

Enjoy an hour of pre-recorded performances by the Volunteer Guitar Connection (VGC). Let VGC volunteers serenade seniors down memory lane with covers of nostalgic songs in English, Chinese, Cantonese and Hokkien.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese/ Cantonese/ Hokkien

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Volunteer Guitar Connection

 

听画的故事 Stories of Artists is a video series by ARTualize that unveils the lives and creative journey of talented local artists. Delving into the stories behind their paintings, this series offers a glimpse into their inspirations, struggles and triumphs.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Chinese

 

Find the resource here.

 

Photo credit: ARTualize

 

Join cookbook author and food scholar Christopher Tan, as he shares stories and recipes inspired by the cooking styles and ideas from the various eras of Singapore history.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: National Museum of Singapore

 

Enjoy a collection of online performances of yesteryear and Chinese hits by professional chinese orchestra, The TENG Company, as part of their “TENG Gives Back” initiative.

For: Public and Community Care Organisations

Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: English/ Chinese/ Various Chinese Dialects/ Malay/ Tamil

 

Find the resource here.

 

Photo credit: The TENG Company

 

Hear the stories of those who keep traditions alive in Singapore today in this video series by the Indian Heritage Centre. See how homegrown Karagam dancers relive this rich heritage and perform traditional Indian folk dance and learn how a third-generation Patthar intricately makes each piece of jewellery for special occasions using traditional methods.

 

For: Public and Community Care Organisations
Minimum Mobility Status: Seniors who are bedbound
Language: Tamil

 

Find out more here.

 

Photo credit: Indian Heritage Centre