National Heritage Board: Events and Programs for Kids in May-June 2024

This May and June, the National Heritage Board (NHB) has lots of fun events planned for you and your family! Let’s take a peek at what’s in store with BusyKidd’s Guide!

Singapore HeritageFest 2024

Explore the stories behind our buildings and landmarks at the 21st Singapore HeritageFest (SHF). This year, we’re honoring our nation’s rich history and the 40th anniversary of Total Defence. With tours, exhibitions, and fun activities all around Singapore, SHF 2024 promises an exciting journey through our architectural treasures. Don’t miss out on favorite attractions like the Homeground exhibition, Ride & Discover, and the Hop-On and Hop-Off (HOHO) bus tour, which bring history and heritage to life.

• When: 1–26 May 2024
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Hop-On, Hop-Off (HOHO) Bus Experience

Take a ride through Singapore’s amazing history with the Hop-On, Hop-Off (HOHO) Bus Experience. In the first weekend, we’ll visit Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Gelam, where you’ll see the rich mix of cultures that make these places special. Explore lively markets and beautiful temples, and feel the vibe of Singapore’s past. Then, on the final weekend, we’ll check out Bras Basah.Bugis and the Civic District, seeing the cool buildings and landmarks that make these areas unique. Don’t miss this chance to hop on the HOHO Bus and discover Singapore’s story at every stop!

• When: 4–5, 25–26 May 2024, 9 am
• Where: Meeting Point – Week 1: Maxwell MRT station Exit 2; Week 4: National Museum of Singapore, Glass Atrium, Level 2
• Price: Single Ticket (1 Weekend): S$10 / pax, Day Tripper (Weekend 1 & 4): 10% off! (S$18 / pax), Complete Experience (4 tickets, Weekend 1 & 4): $20% off! (S$64 / 4pax)
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HOMEGROUND: We Built This City

Learn about Singapore’s old buildings at the “Homeground: We Built This City” exhibition. Even though Singapore looks modern, it has lots of old buildings. There are 75 special buildings and over 7,000 others that tell stories about Singapore’s past. They show how Singapore grew because of trade, people moving here, and different cultures mixing. Explore themes like Nature, Commerce, Community, Residential, and Governance to see how they changed Singapore. 

• When: 1 May – 30 June 2024, 10 am – 7 pm (last admission at 6.30 pm)
• Where: National Museum of Singapore Lawn
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Stories from Singapore’s First Flatted Factory

Come along with Ah Hua, your friendly neighborhood Karang Guni aunty, as she takes you on a journey to /Singapore’s First Flatted Factory/. This ordinary building holds extraordinary stories about our heritage and history.

During the tour, you’ll visit two businesses inside the building. You’ll hear from them about the trades that helped industrialize Singapore. Plus, you’ll get crafty and make your very own fabric pouch to take home as a souvenir from the Flatted Factory!

‘Stories from Singapore’s First Flatted Factory’ is an interactive theatrical tour that visits local businesses ‘By My Old School’ and ‘Sew Fun’. ‘By My Old School’ is a vintage shop, and ‘Sew Fun’ is a fabric workshop. These places are located within Singapore’s first flatted factory. You’ll feel like you’ve traveled back in time during this heritage experience created by Zip Zap Zoom Collective. It’s suitable for ages 7 and up.

• When: Saturday, 11, 18 & 25 May 2024 | 10.30 am – 12.30 pm
• Where: 115A Commonwealth Drive, Meeting Point – 115A Commonwealth Drive
• Price: S$40/pair (Parent & child)
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Jalan Jalan Campaign

Jalan Jalan is your digital guide to the Heritage Trails. During Singapore HeritageFest (SHF) 2024, the National Heritage Board (NHB) will introduce a new digital companion named Jalan Jalan, meaning “walking” in Malay. Through three heritage trails in Changi, Ang Mo Kio, and Woodlands, Jalan Jalan will enhance visitors’ experiences by providing more interactive content and revealing lesser-known facts about these beloved areas of Singapore. From May 1st to June 30th, 2024, visitors using Jalan Jalan on any of these three trails can unlock special rewards and have a chance to win exciting prizes.

• When: from 1 May 2024 to 30 June 2024
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Monumental Hunt in the Civic District

Embark on an exciting puzzle adventure in the Civic District! Similar to escape rooms and treasure hunts, you’ll explore the outdoors and visit nine national monuments in the area. With a game master to guide you, get ready to solve puzzles and learn interesting facts about these historic buildings and sites.

Suitable for ages 7 and up, with adult supervision required for children under 12. The tour requires a minimum of 6 participants to start. Note: This Monumental Hunt will happen regularly, usually on the third Saturday of every month. Keep an eye on the website for confirmed dates. The puzzle hunt in the Civic District lasts for 2.5 hours.

• When: The third Saturday of every month, 9.30 am to 12 pm
• Where: Meeting point – City Hall MRT, Exit B
• Price: S$55
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Children’s Season 2024 at Children’s Museum Singapore

Every year, the Children’s Museum Singapore and the Museum Roundtable team up to host Children’s Season, a special program just for kids. It’s all about giving children fun and educational experiences that make them curious about the world and excited to learn about our shared history. This year, the focus is on innovation. They want to show kids how cool it is to think outside the box and come up with new ideas. So get ready to be inspired and let your imagination soar!

Food for Thought

Ever think about how much food matters? “Food for Thought” lets you step back in time to post-war Singapore, where the Tan family teaches us about tough times and sticking together. You’ll even get to play a game called “Heart of Gold,” where you decide how to use resources wisely. It’s a cool way to learn that food isn’t just something we eat. It’s something we have to be smart about and appreciate. Especially when things are hard. This special event is part of Children’s Season 2024, brought to you by Children’s Museum Singapore and the Former Ford Factory.

The duration is about an hour. The recommended age is 8–12 years old.

• When: 25 May & 1 Jun 2024, Time: 11 am & 2 pm
• Where: Former Ford Factory
• Price: S$20 per child with 1 adult
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Wrap Me Tight

Meera and her grandma shared a special bond full of secrets and fun times. After her grandma passed away, Meera found a chest of colorful dupattas (kain selendang) that her grandma left behind. To honor her memory, Meera turns these dupattas into a play sanctuary. You can join in on the fun with Meera! In this session, we’ll play games to think creatively and turn the dupattas into all sorts of cool stuff for her sanctuary. Plus, we’ll get to try our hand at printmaking!

The duration is about an hour. The recommended age is 5–12 years old.

• When: 31 May & 21 Jun 2024, Time: 11 am & 2 pm
• Where: Asian Civilisation Museum
• Price: S$20 per child with 1 adult
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My Friend, Mr. Pirate!

The Singapore Maritime Gallery’s been taken over by none other than Mr. Pirate himself, on the hunt for his treasure! But fear not, young pirates! Strap on your special pirate wristbands and join the crew for an adventure through the gallery. Together, you’ll learn all about Singapore’s seafaring history and how it became a proud maritime nation, all while helping Mr. Pirate find his booty. Keep your eyes peeled for clues hidden throughout the gallery as you search for the treasure, and get ready for a jolly good time of singing and dancing fit for a true buccaneer!

The duration is about an hour. The recommended age is 5–10 years old.

• When: 7 & 8 Jun 2024, Time: 11 am & 2 pm
• Where: Singapore Maritime Gallery
• Price: S$20 per child with 1 adult
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Train Upcycling: Giving Old Trains New Life!

Come join the hands-on workshop where you’ll learn all about train upcycling! Led by experienced train engineers, you’ll discover how they give old train parts new life. Get ready to get your hands dirty as you experiment with these parts yourself. And don’t forget to bring your creative hat. They’ll brainstorm together on cool ways to use them in different ways!

The duration is about 2 hours. The recommended age is 9–12 years old.

• When: 30 May & 6 June 2024, Time: 3:00 pm
• Where: Children’s Museum Singapore
• Price: Free
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Mask-a-rade: Build Your Own Heritage Mask! (Drop-In Activity)

Come get inspired by the awesome heritage buildings with “Mask-a-rade”! It’s a cool drop-in activity where kids can let their creativity run wild. They’ll use bright colors and fun patterns to make their own whimsical masks.

Join them for a blast as you and your little ones have fun mixing and matching different building elements to create masks you can wear! Just a heads up: since this activity is free, materials are limited, so grab them while they last!

The recommended age is 3–10 years old.

• When: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12 May 2024
• Where: Lewin Terrace (meeting point will be at the entrance of Children’s Museum Singapore)
• Price: Free
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Children’s Season 2024 Stamp Booklet Activity

This June school break, come have a blast with your family on a museum adventure! Grab a free Children’s Season 2024 Stamp Booklet from any of the participating museums. Then, as you explore each museum, join in on a fun activity and collect special stamp prints. 

List of participating museums:

• Asian Civilisations Museum
• ArtScience Museum
• Children’s Museum Singapore
• Eurasian Heritage Gallery
• Former Ford Factory
• Fort Siloso
• Indian Heritage Centre
• Intan @ T-Play
• KidsSTOPTM, Science Centre Singapore
• MOE Heritage Centre
• National Gallery Singapore
• National Library Singapore
• National Museum of Singapore
• NEWater Visitor Centre
• Peranakan Museum
• Singapore Art Museum
• Singapore Discovery Centre
• Singapore Maritime Gallery
• Singapore Mobility Gallery
• Singapore Navy Museum
• Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

Try to gather as many stamps as you can to win cool prizes exclusive to Children’s Season 2024! At this event, there are three levels of collectors: Museum Starter (5 stamps), Museum Explorer (10 stamps), and Museum Enthusiast (15 stamps). Each child can only get one prize at Children’s Museum Singapore, so collect stamps carefully at the different museums to earn your reward!

• When: 25 May – 23 Jun 2024
• Price: Free
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Let’s go on a Satay Adventure!

Come join WonderBot and his pal, Becky Bunny, for an exciting adventure into the world of Siti’s family satay business, which goes all the way back to the 1960s. In this self-guided activity, you’ll get to whip up your very own special satay dish while learning all about Singapore’s hawker history and discovering a variety of tasty local hawker dishes. You’ll explore important family values like Love, Care, Concern, Commitment, and Respect. Once you’re done, don’t forget to grab a token from their friendly staff at the Ticketing Counter! This awesome activity is completely free and is brought to you in collaboration with Families for Life (FFL). The recommended age is 5–12 years old.

• When: 25 May – 23 Jun 2024, Time: Whole Day, While Stocks Last
• Where: Children’s Museum Singapore
• Price: Free
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Oodles of Noodles

Izzy’s been wracking her brain all week, trying to come up with a new twist for her fusion laksa dish. But just when she’s about to give up, a memory of her grandma’s favorite tune comes flooding back. As she follows the melody, she stumbles upon an old tin box filled with treasures from Singapore’s hawker culture. Join Izzy on an immersive journey along Armenian Street as she hunts for fresh recipe inspiration! Get ready to touch, smell, and even listen to the sounds and stories of our rich food heritage. And to top it all off, we’ll craft our very own Oodles of Noodles together at the end of this delicious adventure!

The duration is 1 hour, 45 minutes. The recommended age is 5–12 years old.

• When: 15 & 22 June 2024, Time: 11 am & 4 pm
• Where: Children’s Museum Singapore
• Price: S$20 per child with 1 adult
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Let’s Go on a Food Trail at Armenian Street

Get ready to explore Armenian Street with WonderBot and Noodsly! Follow them on a self-guided adventure to learn about spices in local dishes. Visit the shops to discover food stories and cultures. And don’t forget to grab a token from their friendly staff at the Ticketing Counter when you’re done! The recommended age is 5–12 years old.

• When: 25, 30, 31 May 2024; 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 June 2024; Time: 11:00am, 4:00pm* (only for 15 & 22 June 2024*)
• Where: Children’s Museum Singapore and Armenian Street
• Price: S$8 per child with 1 adult
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Let’s Cook Up a Storm!

Discovering culture through food is always a treat! Come join us and dive into the Eurasian heritage through a delicious culinary journey. Under the guidance of Chef Mary Gomes, you’ll learn to whip up mouth-watering Eurasian dishes like Curry Debal (also known as Curry Devil), Pang Susie (a savory bun), and Kueh Kochi (a chewy kueh). And the best part? You get to taste your own creations at the end of the workshop!

• When: 1, 8 & 15 Jun 2024, Time: 3 pm
• Where: Lewin Terrace (Registration at Children’s Museum Singapore)
• Price: Free
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Colouring Fun at Stamp Parade: WonderBot and the Heritage Buildings

Have you ever wondered about the cool old buildings in Singapore? Well, guess what? The Children’s Museum Singapore is actually in one of them! And here’s the fun part: you and your little one can join in for some coloring fun at the Stamp Parade interactive area in the museum’s permanent exhibition, A Voyage Back in Time. Watch as your very own WonderBot Heritage Building stamp series comes to life right before your eyes!

The recommended age is 3–10 years old.

• When: 1 – 24 May 2024 (closed on Mondays), Time: 9 am to 10.45 am, 11 am to 12.45 pm, 2 pm to 3.45 pm, 4 pm to 5.45 pm
• Where: Children’s Museum Singapore – Permanent Gallery (Level 1)
• Price: Free
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Travelling Art Cart: Art Across Time

Get ready for an adventure into the past with the Travelling Art Cart! We’ll be delving into ‘Here They Come!’ by Koeh Sia Yong from the National Collection. Picture yourself wandering the busy streets of 1950s and 1960s Singapore, alive with the vibrant calls of unlicensed hawkers. Join in the fun with interactive activities suitable for the whole family. Kids can even role-play as hawkers, immersing themselves in the lively atmosphere depicted in the artwork. Don’t miss out on this exciting journey! Recommended for ages 6–11.

• When: 14 & 15 Jun 2024
• Where: Children’s Museum Singapore
• Price: Free
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Foothill Stories – A Roving Performance with Craft Components

Back in 1912, there were two primary schools near Fort Canning Hill. Tao Nan School on Armenian Street taught modern Chinese, while the Methodist school for boys, called Anglo-Chinese School, was close by. These schools were important for the community, shaping the lives of many kids.

Now, jump to today, and those old school buildings are now the Children’s Museum Singapore and the Peranakan Museum. Even though they’ve changed, their history still matters. Visitors can explore their past through fun activities like puppet shows and crafts. It’s a neat way to connect with the past and see how things have changed over time!

• When: 4, 5, 11 & 12 May 2024, Time: 11 am to 12 pm (Programme), 12 pm to 12.45 pm (Free exploration in museum), 2 pm to 3 pm (Programme), 3 pm to 3.45 pm (Free exploration in museum)
• Where: Various (Children’s Museum Singapore, The Peranakan Museum and Lewin Terrace)
• Price: S$18
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Images Credit: Nhb.gov.sg