National Gallery Singapore
Formerly the Supreme Court and City Hall, this behemoth of an art museum, it is the largest of its kind in Singapore, focuses on South-East Asian art from the 19th century up until today. And with several kid-friendly exhibits and installations, the little ones have lots to check out, too.
Mint Museum of Toys
The feeling of nostalgia is dominant inside the historical buildings in Singapore. Rows of toys, collectibles and comics will take you down the memory lane. Besides, the information about the era to which they belong is quite interesting.
The Mint Museum of Toys boasts of more than 50,000 vintage toys, of which some are as old as 120 years. Definitely, the museum is a top contender among the quirky historical places in Singapore.
Ode to Art
This glossy public gallery, secreted away inside the touristy Raffles resort or shopping complex, has roots in both Singapore and Malaysia. Its roster includes heavy hitters from all over the globe, but you will see eclectic works by up-and-coming local and regional artists as well. Fans of contemporary art will likely find a new favorite Singaporean or Southeast Asian artist to add to their list of favorites.
Asian Civilisations Museum
A visit to Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), one of Singapore’s most acclaimed national museums, is a great way to take a journey through the interesting pan-Asian arts and culture scene. The Asian Civilisations Museum has 1,000 plus artefacts in its 11 galleries on three levels in the Empress Place Building.
Lee Kong Chiang (LKC) Natural History Museum
The LKC Natural History Museum explores biodiversity, environmental issues, and scientific research as it relates to Singapore and Southeast Asia at large. It is not Smithsonian or American Museum of Natural History, but it is not trying to be either. Foreigner ticket prices are quite high considering the relatively compact size of the museum. There are more than 2,000 specimens on display, spread across 15 different zones.
Trick Eye Museum
Originating from Korea, the Trick Eye Museum at Resorts World Sentosa Singapore houses six zones with different themes such as ‘Safari’ and ‘Circus’. Each features three-dimensional paintings and optical illusion masterpieces that make for crazy photo ops.
Museum of Contemporary Art
This is a museum in name only. The warehouse-like space looks and feels more like an art gallery, typically putting on one show at a time. It is affiliated with Singapore’s Linda Gallery and most of the works are for sale. MoCA's website was last updated in 2015, so it is a gamble as to what you will see when you go. This is a bummer if you are not into the artist they are showing at the time, as you will have gone measurably out of your way to visit. Past exhibitions have featured solo shows from Zhang Linhai and Zhang Xin Quan and a retrospective on Chen Wen Hsi.