Chinatown Heritage Centre, Singapore, Singapore

4.5 (1.102 reviews) Sunday: 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM Spent Ranking #20 in Singapore Speciality Museums

Much better than I expected

The colourful past of Chinatown comes alive within the walls of these three beautifully-restored shophouses on Pagoda Street, comfortably nestled in the midst of Singapore's bustling Chinatown district. Every nook and cranny in the Chinatown Heritage Centre pulsates with the memories of yesteryear, offering an experience like no other as one is transported to Chinatown in the budding years of Singapore's establishment as a seaport. From the desperate hopefulness of the many "Sinkheh" (new migrants) - risking life and limb to embark on an arduous journey from the various Chinese provinces to the promised land of Singapore - to the raw, seedy and underground practices of gambling dens and secret societies, be prepared to experience a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality as you step into the pages of Chinatown's history. The Chinatown Heritage Centre is the only place in Singapore that has recreated the original interiors of its shophouse tenants in the 1950s, offering visitors an honest, revealing glimpse into the lives of Chinatown's early residents.

Address

48 Pagoda Street, Singapore 059207 Singapore

Mobile

+65 6224 3928

Website

http://www.chinatownheritagecentre.com.sg/

Working hours

Monday : 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday : 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday : 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday : 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday : 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday : 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Sunday : 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM

Current local date and time now

Sunday, May 12, 2024, 10:40

User Ratings

4.5 based on (1.102 reviews)

Excellent
65%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%

Reviews

  • 5Yoke-Keon 5:00 PM Jan 22, 2020
    A step back in time
    My friends and I walked by this museum and decided to go in. So glad we did. We did not know what to expect as the entry was directly into a small museum shop with the ticket counter in front and a glimpse of a replica of a 1950s tailor shop through a door on the left. This place is quite extensive, encompassing 3 levels, but they have an elevator for those less mobile. The entrance fee includes a headset attached to a tablet that allows you to listen to the stories as you walk through the rooms. The audio is set up in such a way that you can hear the actual characters talking before the narrator explains what is happening, quite entertaining! There are also a lot of interactive and sensory stations throughout the tour. For example, you can smell the opium as you approach an opium den, just as you can smell freshly baked egg custard tarts as you enter the section that talks about the history of the famous Tong Heng egg custard tarts! You can also look up your clan association by surname ( in English as well as Chinese ), and check on the different foods and traditions followed by the Chinese of Cantonese, Hainanese, Fujian, or Hakka descent. This is definitely a place worth visiting!
  • 4Dog-squad 5:00 PM Mar 1, 2020
    Interesting snap shot of Singapore heritage
    You get an audio and tablet guide to tour this old shop house that has been turned into a museum. It took me an hour and a half and I could have spent longer looking around. There are lots of interesting exhibits, I would recommend doing this in the morning when you are fresh and can concentrate. At $18 for the entry and audio/tablet guide I think it is great value!

See also

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