National Gallery Architecture Tour

The Singapore National Gallery is the last remaining colonial building in Southeast Asia. It comprises of Singapore’s original City Hall, which was built in 1929, and the former Supreme Court, completed in 1939.

At the turn of the millennium, the Singapore government approved a project to combine the two building into the current National Gallery, which houses the largest collection of modern Southeast Asian art in the world. The gallery opened to the public during the 50th anniversary of Singapore “the Jubilee year” on November 24, 2015.

During our tour, we will learn about the buildings’ history, their functions pre- and post- WWII, and how they have transformed over the years. We will gain greater insight into the process of selecting the architecture firm commissioned to design the museum, as well as some of the challenges the firm encountered during design and construction.

We will start by viewing the model of the building, walk through the prisoners’ holding cells, the Foundation Stone, and Supreme Court Lobby. The tour will also include a visit to the Chief Justice’s chamber and office, as well as the City Hall Chamber also known as the “Surrender Room” where the Japanese surrendered to the British (1945) and where Lee Kuan Yew was sworn in (1959).

Tour will include a visit to the “ArchiGallery” where we can see archeological findings discovered during the restoration, as well as testimonies by the architecture firm Studio Milue.

Tour will end at the rooftop where we can enjoy a magnificent view of the Padang and Marina Bay Sands.

Your guide, Sarah Lev, is an active docent at the National Gallery of Singapore since its opening in November 2015 and will share the “behind the scenes” stories related to the project.

Free for children under 6 years old with each accompanying adult.