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Singapore City Gallery
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Singapore City Gallery

See all things to do
See all things to do
Singapore City Gallery
4.5
523 reviews
#25 of 1,187 things to do in Singapore
Speciality Museums
Read more
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
Singapore City Gallery is a great starting point to get to know the city for free. Located beside the Maxwell food centre in the historic district of Chinatown, this 3 storey visitor centre goes beneath the skin of the city to understand how the city came to be, that even though it’s a dense built-up city of tar, glass and concrete, it is still so green, has memorable buildings, historic districts and walkable streets. You can imagine and design your own version of Marina Bay or explore plans long into the future like Greater Southern Waterfront city. The main draw is an enormous model replica of the City Centre with uncannily accurate miniatures of building and streetscapes. Look out for an illustrative map drawn by Lee Xin Li. It will sure to bring back memories of Singapore, past and present. Before you leave, catch the dramatic 3-min Island Wide Model show screened every 20 mins at level 1.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Central Business District
How to get there
  • Telok Ayer • 6 min walk
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798 within 10 kms
To Gather
31 mSpeciality Museums
Urban Redevelopment Authority
2
43 mGovernment Buildings
Maxwell Food Centre
3,333
56 mFlea & Street Markets
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6,481
0.2 kmSpeciality Museums • Religious Sites
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0.2 kmParks
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0.1 kmHistoric Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
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0.2 kmNeighbourhoods
Siang Cho Keong Temple
6
0.2 kmReligious Sites
Chinatown
14,523
0.3 kmNeighbourhoods
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See what other travellers are saying
  • hiroko
    Hokkaido, Japan36 contributions
    Marvelous City Gallery!
    This was my 2nd visit. (In 2018, this gallery was partially closed for renovation.) 1F:You can learn stunning city planning of Singapore through interactive screens and various panels on the wall. 2F:Terrific scale models of the city give you a good overview of Singapore. It's a fun to find the hotel you stay or planned skyscrapers.. Free admission! Air- conditioning! If you are in the vicinity of chinatown, it well worth visiting. If you are really interested in Singapore city planning, I recommend you the combo of this gallery and HDB HUB in Toa Payoh.
    Visited January 2020
    Written 29 January 2020
  • Fred T
    Reno, Nevada741 contributions
    Great way to learn about Singapore and city planning and issues
    This free place was an education on how the city grew and what good city planning can mean. It has exhibits spread over three floors. Enjoyed the section of what other cities are doing for the future. Wish my home town would have good city planners like this place. It took me around two hours.
    Visited February 2020
    Written 3 February 2020
  • glee55
    Melbourne, Australia85 contributions
    Great Tour of Planning Miracle!
    We dropped by being only 4 minutes walk from our Sofitel City Centre Hotel. Were allowed to participate in free tour on walk-in basis. Volunteer guide Richard gave a knowledgable and passionate tour which went for about 90 minutes. Provides a great overview of Singapore history and the city layout. There is much to learn from Singapore.
    Visited January 2020
    Written 17 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
523 reviews
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Suzie J
Bishops Stortford, UK14 contributions
One for Geography Geeks Town Planners Architects etc
Sep 2023 • Friends
A history of Singapore and the plans for the little red dots next 50 years.
A very impressive to scale model of Singapore - very pleasant environment. Also conveniently located next to a large Hawker Centre for on the hop lunch or drinks.
Written 24 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rob O
3 contributions
Makes urban planning interesting and fun to learn about
Aug 2023
We came here because our pre-teen is very interested in architecture. It was recommended by hotel staff.

It's free, and for a person interested in urban planning, urban history, and urban life, this was educational, interesting, and full of little surprises and unique ways to access information, which made it engaging and hands-on, even for kids who are interested in how things (especially cities) work.

I do wish there had been a few more guides or docents hanging around ready to answer questions, but my son is a little shy, and might not have asked questions anyway.
Written 16 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeremie Bradette
Rougemont, Canada10 contributions
The best things in life are free
Oct 2022 • Solo
Awesome museum!

I've set foot in many museums in Singapore, and I find it almost ironic that the greatest one by far was the only place I didn't have to pay for. I stumbled upon it without even knowing it existed, and I ended up spending hours in it. It's one of the rare times I feel like TripAdvisor's estimated duration is too low.

Unlike other museums nearby, this one isn't about art, or anthropology. The Singapore City Gallery is exclusively about how Singapore came to be and how the city works today. "How does garbage disposal work in such a compact city?" "How and when did Singapore expand?" "With what purpose were the streets and zones placed decades ago?"

This may sound boring, but trust me, you'll spend a lot of time there. Heck, just looking at the gigantic maquette of the city is worth it. There's interactive games, videos, models...

All free of charge.
Written 6 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonathan C.
La Jolla, California, USA472 contributions
singapore city gallery
May 2023
Very neat museum area showing the history and urban planning that helped make Singapore what it is today.
Written 10 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex
Perth, Australia88 contributions
A Hidden Gem
Jan 2023 • Couples
My partner is an urban planner, so the Singapore City Gallery at the Urban Redevelopment Authority was on his 'must-do' list for Singapore.

As a non-planner myself, I was pleasantly surprised by how engaging the gallery is. It's highly informative with interactive displays to suit all ages and understandings. A particular highlight for me was seeing Stephen Wiltshire's panoramic cityscape of Singapore for myself - it is just fabulous!

We spent a good 90 mins - 2 hours here, seeing everything. It's also right across the road from Maxwell Food Centre so you can stop for something to eat on your way out.
Written 3 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Asian T
Los Angeles, CA12 contributions
Singapore history
Nov 2022
This is a great place to come and soak in the architecture, history, and the humble beginnings of Singapore. If you have the time and read all the intricate details posted on the wall plus watch some of the videos, you can easily spend several hours in this gallery. There are various awesome models laid out nicely, as well.

In addition, the Gallery is free of charge to the public, too. And if you get hungry enough, there is a local (Hawker) Market/eatery across the street. We found some of the workers buying lunch from there and then going into the Gallery to eat their lunches. So long you pick up after yourself, no one would say anything to you.

The Gallery, also, allows photography and videos. I am not sure if the Gallery would encourage any flash, though.
Written 5 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom B
Sheffield, UK258 contributions
Excellent and interesting public spot
Oct 2022
Not an art gallery; instead, this is where the city planners hang out. There's a lot of interesting information here: interesting old maps showing how Singapore has developed, and interactive displays outlining how Singapore deals with practical issues such water supply, waste services, etc.

The most dramatic exhibit is a scale model of the city centre that's metres across - has to be seen to be believed.
Written 23 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maggie Kwok
1 contribution
Extremely fruitful
Nov 2021
I went there previously and it was very intriguing so I am here for my second visit with my son.

There is alot of information I realised I havent learnt from the previous trip especially from the model AR ipads.

However, I do wish there were more functions on the ipad? My son likes cars and buses so I wanted to show him the driverless tech. I vaguely remembered from my first visit. but I forgot where to find information on it. So I had to look through every point of interest for him.

Personally, I feel that for first timers or tourists, it would be a very interactive and engaging experience to see how Singapore's land development and plans for the future.
Written 20 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cathie
4 contributions
Brilliant
Aug 2022
I would spend a few days browsing through the exposition if I only could! Lots of interactive displays, explications to read, two models of the city (on different levels of the building). Great insights into the future of Singapore’s development.
On the ground floor there was a guide talking through one of the models . I wanted to join, but he said that it’s only for a group of VIP visitors . Would be great if there were daily scheduled guided tours for the public.
Written 11 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raghul Vignesh
Singapore, Singapore19 contributions
Enjoyed
Jun 2022
We visited Singapore with our children, there were enjoy and full experience. We have visited a few place and we plan to visit again in future
Written 2 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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SINGAPORE CITY GALLERY: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Singapore City Gallery
Singapore City Gallery is open:
  • Mon - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Singapore City Gallery tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 7 Singapore City Gallery tours on Tripadvisor
According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Singapore City Gallery: See all Singapore City Gallery experiences on Tripadvisor