Time needed: 1 hour
Cost: Free
As travel is still severely limited, we have been looking at places to explore in our own country. We have gone from doing multiple staycations in hotels such as The Fullerton Hotel and Conrad Centennial Singapore to exploring natural playgrounds like the Railway Corridor.
Changi Chapel and Museum recently just reopened after 3 years of renovation. When we saw the news, we thought it would be a good idea to visit.
I’ve briefly visited the museum as part of national education during my time in the army. From my memory, it was just a small chapel and the entire visit was over very quickly.
Going into this, I was excited to see what has changed over the past few years.
The war museum
The Changi prison used to house prisoners of war (POWs) during World War 2. Most of the interns here were Australians and British soldiers who fought to defend Singapore from the Japanese.
As you walk through the museum, you’ll get to see what the POWs’ living condition was like back in the days.
There were more prisoners in the prison than it’s intended occupancy. Eventually, more than 5 people had to squeeze in a cell meant of a single person.
It’s hard to imagine what the prisoners had to go through as they spent years in this prison.
The chapel
The chapel itself is located right at the museum’s entrance. It’s well preserved and you can still see the original structures that made up the chapel.
The area surrounding the chapel has been renovated and is well shaded. Rain or shine, you can still visit! There were even open air air-conditioners when we visited. This kept the temperature down in hot and humid Singapore.
READ ALSO: A guide to exploring Lazarus Island
Take part in the treasure hunt
To spice up your visit to the museum, you can take part in their treasure hunt.
Look out for clues and keywords as you walk through the museum and you get to bring home a tiny souvenir for free!
Pre-book your tickets
Pre-book your tickets to ensure that you’ll get entry into the museum! This helps the museum manage crowds to ensure that there’s ample social distancing during this period of time.
You can book your tickets through this link.
How to get there?
Public Transport
Take the MRT train to Bedok / Tanah Merah Station.
Transfer to bus number 2.
Alight at the Changi Chapel Museum Bus stop.
If you check Google Maps, they’ll recommend routes that end up at Opp Changi’s Women Prison bus stop. However, you’ll have to walk a short distance from that stop.
Therefore, we’d recommend you take either bus 2 or 29 to the stop that’s directly in front of the museum.
Ride sharing / Taxi
From the central regions, it takes 20 minutes to get to the museum.
It will cost approximately $20-30 for single trip.
Final thoughts
As mentioned in the introduction, I did not have a particularly strong impression of the museum before the visit.
After the renovation and with the inclusion of the museum, this attraction has become more compelling for people to learn about the history of Singapore.
I really enjoyed the way historical artefacts and recounts of prisoners are displayed. I could imagine the suffering of the people who lived in the harsh environment and appreciate how far the country has grown from there.
This is an educational and interesting place for families to spend an afternoon together, learning about the history of Singapore.
Looking for more activities in Singapore?
You can consider heading to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserves!
It’s home to pristine wetlands and marshes that you can’t otherwise find in the rest of Singapore.
