Cultural TOP 5S

5 PLACES OF WORSHIP 1 BUDDHA TOOTH RELIC TEMPLE

This Tang Dynasty-style temple was constructed in 2002 to house the tooth relic of the historical Buddha and serve as a Chinese Buddhist cultural centre. It holds services regularly, and provides educational opportunities and welfare services. The complex also includes a museum with ancient artefacts. btrts.org.sg

2 SRI MARIAMMAN TEMPLE

Built in 1827 for worship by immigrants from South India, this is the island’s oldest Hindu temple. The temple in the heart of Chinatown boasts an ornamental tower entrance that’s a true Singapore landmark. Services and major festivals are regularly held at the temple. heb.gov.sg/temples

3 MASJID SULTAN

Malay for “Sultan Mosque”, this remarkable structure is located in Kampong Glam, or the Arab Quarter. It was built in 1928 on the site of a much older mosque. The mosque offers services as well as classes and religious and legal counselling. sultanmosque.org.sg

4 THIAN HOCK KENG

The “Temple of Heavenly Happiness” on Telok Ayer Street is the oldest Hokkien temple in Singapore. It was built between 1839 and 1842 and was assembled without nails – a masterpiece of stone, tiles, wood, dragons, phoenixes, carvings and columns. thianhockkeng.com.sg

Singapore is dotted with fascinating religious monuments, galleries with world-class artworks and exhibitions, impressive performance places for entertainment, and other centres of culture. Here are some highlights!

5 ARMENIAN CHURCH

While this isn’t the largest Christian church in Singapore, it was completed in 1835, making it the oldest. It’s located in a charming and peaceful setting near Fort Canning Park. Services are rarely held here. armeniansinasia.org

5 MUST-SEE MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

1 NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE

The National Gallery opened its doors to the public in 2015 and is the permanent home for the National Collection, and Southeast Asian works from the 19th century to today. It occupies the former City Hall and Supreme Court heritage buildings, matching the likes of the Musée d’Orsay and Tate Modern in size. nationalgallery.sg

2 ASIAN CIVILISATIONS MUSEUM

Situated directly across the river from Boat Quay and the Fullerton Hotel, the Asian Civilisations Museum has 11 galleries, showcasing over 1,300 artefacts from China, Southeast Asia and West Asia. The museum has an action-packed event schedule to suit all ages, cultures and tastes. acm.org.sg

3 ARTSCIENCE MUSEUM

Featuring 21 galleries, this iconic lotus-inspired building hosts exhibits on everything from photography to technology. At the time of writing, key shows included “Videogames Transformed” and “Orchestral Manoeuvres”, both running until early 2022. The museum sits in front of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, near the Double Helix Bridge. marinabaysands.com/artsciencemuseum

4 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE

Currently the country’s largest museum, the National Museum of Singapore is housed in a stunning 120-year-old neoclassical building on Stamford Road near Fort Canning Park. The museum features a 2,800-squaremetre Singapore History Gallery and four creative “living” galleries, which explore local culture, film, food and fashion. nationalmuseum.sg

5 LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Opened in April 2015 at the National University of Singapore in the island’s west, this is the country’s only museum dedicated to showcasing Southeast Asian biodiversity. There’s an extensive variety of plants and animals in 16 different thematic zones – and kids will enjoy the museum’s three dinosaurs, Prince, Apollonia and Twinky. lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg

5 OTHER ARTSY AVENUES

1 PERFORMANCE PLACES

The National Stadium is for largescale sports and entertainment events with seating for 55,000 and a retractable domed roof. Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay (or “the durian”) has a concert hall and other performance spaces. There’s also the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands, The Star Performing Arts Centre in Buona Vista, and the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Outdoor venues such as Fort Canning and the Botanic Gardens host semi-regular events too.

2 MORE COOL GALLERIES

When you’ve had your fill of the National Gallery, try one of the city’s popular contemporary art spaces, which include REDSEA Gallery, LivingwithArt, Opera Gallery, STPI, Gnani Arts and Talking Textiles. There’s also Gillman Barracks, a cluster of international galleries, including the Centre for Contemporary Art, in conserved British army barracks near the West Coast.

3 NICHE MUSEUMS

From the Vintage Camera Museum to the Air Force Museum, there are loads of interesting collections beyond the big names of the previous page. The Cathay Gallery, for example, is a “secret” film museum featuring vintage projectors, old directors’ chairs and more. And the Former Ford Factory in Bukit Timah is the spot where the British formally surrendered to Japan during the Second World War.

4 GROUPS AND TROUPES

While they’ve sadly been kept relatively quiet in the pandemic, Singapore has an array of brilliant orchestras, dance troupes and theatre companies. Established performing arts groups include the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Singapore Dance Theatre, Singapore Lyric Opera, Singapore Repertory Theatre, Wild Rice and Pangdemonium.

5 BOOKS GALORE

There are 26 libraries across the island – including the main campus of the National Library at 100 Victoria Street – and joining is simple. It’s free for Singaporeans and PRs, or there’s an annual fee of $42.80 for others (plus a one-off registration fee of $10.50). You can borrow books and DVDs, and thousands of electronic books can be downloaded online. Visit nlb.gov.sg for all the details.