Asian Civilisations Museum

The Asian Civilisations Museum enlightens you to Asian heritage, but it also tells a fascinating story of the Singapore River just 50m away!

Opening Hours:

Mon: 1pm-7pm
Tue-Thur, Sun: 9am-7pm
Fri: 9am-9pm

Entrance Fee:

Adults: $5
Students: $2.50

Children under 6 years: Free
Seniors over 60 years: Free on Mon

Guided Tours (in English):
Tue-Fri: 11am and 2pm. Additional tours: Mon, 2pm; and Sat/Sun, 1.30pm.

Getting Here
Take the MRT to City Hall Station. Walk along North Bridge Road until you hit the Singapore River. Turn left and walk along the bank of the River for another 5 minutes.

Asian Civilisations Museum Singapore - Night shot.

Highlights

The Asian Civilisations Museum, as its name suggests, focuses on Asian heritage. If there is one museum you'll visit to sample Asian culture, this is it.
Artefacts from China and India are well-represented here. But if you have visited the awesome museums in Beijing, Taipei and Delhi, you'll need to manage your expectations somewhat.
If you are visiting further destinations in Southeast Asia, this museum will definitely get you excited. Batak architecture, Javanese gamelans, Cambodian opera masks and much more. They give you a foretaste of the diverse cultures of the region.
The Asian Civilisations Museum is located just by the Singapore River. For me, the most meaningful gallery in this museum is the Singapore River Gallery. It traces the history of the River from pre-colonial times to its recent status as a vibrant night spot.

Remember to pick up the headphones and listen to the oral histories of the 'River people'. Particularly, listen to Mr Tan Giap's personal story - of how an insecure upstart transformed into one of Singapore's master-storytellers.

My walks down the Singapore River have never been the same again. I highly recommend this museum.

Tips for Visitors

When no special exhibitions are on, the Asian Civilisations Museum is free on Friday evenings from 7pm to 9pm.
The museum is a nice stop if you are taking a walking tour of the Singapore River or the Civic District.

Indochine Restaurant, Singapore River.

Photo:
Indochine Restaurant entrance

After visiting the museum, have drink at the Indochine Restaurant, which is next to the museum.

Sit at the restaurant's riverside terrace. Look up at all the brightly lit skyscrapers. Then try to imagine the cramped immigrant quarters which once stood in their place.

Look at the bumboats that now take tourists on their rounds. And imagine these same ones carrying rice sacks, charcoal and the like. It's quite enchanting.

Singapore River Virtual Tour