The best secret museums to check out in Singapore

There's no shortage of museums in Singapore to get a dose of culture. The more popular one such as National Gallery Singapore, ArtScience Museum, and National Museum of Singapore are great places to start, but if you're looking for an experience that's much more behind-the-scene, make your way to the smaller, lesser-known gems.

Hidden in distinct, museums such as The Cathay Gallery, and Singapore Musical Box Museum are filled with "out of the ordinary" hidden treasures, while those like Former Ford Factory highlight untold stories of the past. Fascinated? Go ahead and explore these best secret museums!

Straits Enclave

The Straits Enclave is a private museum and event space in the heritage district of Joo Chiat Singapore. It allows visitors to reminisce and experience the Straits golden era in the early 1900s. This is also where traditional culture and crafts are kept alive – try on a full kebaya, learn the art of Peranakan beading, indulge in a homecooked meal, or play the traditional Cherki card game. The best part is getting to interact with members of the Peranakan community, who have a wealth of knowledge about their rich culture and heritage.

The Singapore Ant Museum

Asia's 1st Ants Museum - Be amazed by the hidden world of ants, arts and science that it reveal in this awe inspiring educational tour. Get up close with a visit to The Singapore Ants Museum – a 2-storey museum featuring more than 50 species of native ants and handcrafted formicariums!

The Cathay Gallery

The Cathay Gallery located on level 2 is a space that celebrates the history behind Cathay’s movie empire and the Loke family’s business ventures in Singapore and Malaysia, as well as their contribution to Cathay Organisation, their properties, film production studios, film distribution, hotels and cinemas. Take a nostalgic journey through the storied history of the Loke family with antique cinema chairs, vintage posters, cameras and other movie memorabilia. While you’re there, be sure to check out the black-and-white trailer for the Cathay-produced horror flick from 1957, Pontianak.

The Gem Museum

Singapore’s first and most comprehensive private gemology museum. This Gem Museum is an international platform to bridge the gap between the gems & jewellery industry and the rest of the world! The Gem Museum also holds regular talks, workshops and programs for adults and children, to promote the interest in gemology. It’s an enriching learning journey from the museum to the exquisite showroom. That way, you'll never be scammed by gem fraudsters ever.

Tan Tock Seng Hospital Heritage Museum

The Tan Tock Seng Hospital Heritage Museum opened its doors on 25 July 2001. Honouring the legacy of our founder Mr Tan Tock Seng, the museum features a collection of Peranakan items from the mid-1800s, during Mr Tan’s time. Come experience the 169-year heritage of the first general hospital in Singapore named after a person and started by an act of philanthropy!

The Battle Box

The Battlebox is an underground bunker at Fort Canning Hill. This was the very site where the decision to surrender to the Japanese Army was made. Embark on an unforgettable journey into the Battlebox, an authentic World War II secret Command Centre built 9 metres underground in the late 1930s. Venture into this authentic underground command centre and discover the tension and drama behind the decision to surrender the much-vaunted ‘Fortress Singapore’ on 15 February 1942. Are you ready to embrace your bold side and step into this 1930s war bunker?

Singapore Chinese Opera Museum

Singapore Chinese Opera Museum is located in the rustic Nanyang tourist spot in Singapore: Kampong Glam. The exhibits in the museum revolve around the development of Chinese operas in Singapore since the time Southern Chinese set foot on this island. The exhibits span over a hundred years. Chinese operas include the Cantonese, Teochew, Qiong, Hokkien (Xiang Opera, Li Yuan Opera and Gezai Opera), Yue opera. It also showcases the styles, costumes and props employed by the various types of Chinese opera in Singapore.

Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery

Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery provides an overview of the history and heritage of Kreta Ayer, and highlights the area’s rich and diverse intangible cultural heritage. These include cultural art forms such as Chinese opera, Chinese puppetry, nanyin music, tea appreciation and calligraphy. Through photographs, stories and objects from the community, this gallery showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Chinese community in Chinatown. Step into the Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery to find out more about the above-mentioned cultural art forms and trace their evolution from the days of old Chinatown to contemporary times.

Which of these secret museums in Singapore are you most excited to explore?