Explore the sites and stories of Singapore’s war-time past as part of Battle for Singapore 2024 with special access programmes including guided tours, theatrical experiences, talks, film screenings and exhibitions.
This year’s Battle for Singapore’s activities are being held in commemoration of the 82nd anniversary of the Fall of Singapore. The line-up of events will take place between 17 February to 3 March 2024.
Battle for Singapore 2024 Events
Amongst the highlights of this year’s Battle for Singapore events include a cycling tour that traces the final battles in the fall of Singapore and tours to where some some of the first landings of the invading Japanese took place.
Mr Goh Chour Thong, Director of International & Museum Relations, National Heritage Board, said, “Stories of human resilience, hope and perseverance through the toughest of times never grow old. We are delighted to be working again with our Museum Roundtable partners and partner agencies to present yet another edition of Battle for Singapore. Through our programme offerings, many of which are new, participants can appreciate the situation and context which residents of Singapore found themselves in more than 80 years ago, in novel and engaging ways.”
Highlights of Battle for Singapore 2024
Cashin House: Witness to Invasion
Join heritage veteran Jerome Lim on a trip to Cashin House.
Located at Lim Chu Kang Nature Park, the site witnessed some of the first landings of the invading Japanese forces.
Learn about the perspectives of men on the opposing sides as they engaged in battle, and about the area’s historical landscape.
This programme is presented in collaboration with NParks and Mr Jerome Lim. Admission is free but registration is required.
Cycling Buona Vista
Explore the Buona Vista defence line on bicycle and learn more about the final days of the Battle of Singapore in this part of Singapore as you cycle past landmarks familiar and new.
This Battle for Singapore 2024 tour is led by volunteer guides – Dr John Kwok or Mr Lee Kok Leong.
Get to appreciate the strategies employed by both the invading Japanese forces and defending Allied forces in the southwestern region of Singapore.
There is a charge of $35 for this tour.
NO QUESTION OF SURRENDER: Three Days Before the Fall
NO QUESTION OF SURRENDER: Three Days Before the Fall transports audiences to the final days before the fall of Singapore in February 1942 in a new 110-minute immersive theatrical experience written and directed by Mr Jonathan Lim.
Feel the pulse of WWII as you immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of the Battlebox.
Stepping into the shoes of members of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Corps, audiences will be introduced to the inner workings of the secretive Fortress Command, led by both local and colonial military specialists played by actors Alfred Loh, Izzul Irfan, Al-Matin Yatim & Justin Lee.
NO QUESTION OF SURRENDER offers a unique opportunity to live and breathe the past.
This programme is presented by Battlebox. There is a charge of $48 for this programme. Purchase tickets here.
Makan with Seniors: World War II edition
Makan with Seniors celebrates seniors’ stories, breaks down stereotypes and creates friendships over food. This special edition, organised for Battle for Singapore 2024, will focus on second-generation war memories and the legacy of WWII in Singapore. Participants will be paired up or grouped together to converse while having a meal together.
This programme is presented by the National Museum of Singapore, in partnership with Ms Eleanor Yap, the founder of Ageless Online. Admission is free but registration is required.
Hotel Aporia: Artist Tour and Conversation with Ho Tzu Nyen and Dr Ma Jung-Yeon
Why did the Japanese call it “The Pacific War” while in Singapore we call it “World War II”?
First presented at the Kirakutei Inn in Toyota City, artist Ho Tzu Nyen’s Hotel Aporia confronts the complex ideological and historical backdrops that plagued the 1940s.
Through characters that include WWII Kamikaze pilots, Kyoto School philosophers and filmmakers Yasujiro Ozu and Ryuichi Yokoyama, experience the conflicting contexts, diverging narratives and new insights gathered within Hotel Aporia, which reveals different perspectives about the past.
Get firsthand accounts from the artist on the installation and development of the work, and the research that went into its production. Thereafter, Ho Tzu Nyen will be joined by Dr Ma Jung-Yeon in conversation to delve deeper into the role of art in unpacking complex histories.
This programme is presented by Singapore Art Museum. Admission is free but registration is required.
Pay a visit to the Singapore Navy Museum and learn about how a band of volunteers stepped up to defend Singapore at sea during the Malayan Campaign in 1942.
Then continue your experience at the Changi Chapel & Museum, where you will hear stories about prisoners of war in Singapore, including local volunteers, and their courage and resilience during WWII.
The programme is co-presented by Changi Chapel and Museum and Singapore Navy Museum. The tour has a charge of $21.80.
Second World War Vintage Toys Guided Tour and Fighter Plane Making
Ever wondered about the warplanes or ships that battled during WWII?
This programme, in collaboration with MINT Museum of Toys, examines how toys were used to normalise war, encourage war efforts and celebrate war achievements across Allied Forces (Britain, France, USSR & USA) and the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy & Japan).
You will also learn about and assemble a WWII Flying Glider Plane, a nostalgic toy produced in the 1950s and designed to represent iconic fighter planes such as Spitfire and Mitsubishi Zero – both of which also have original toy models displayed in the museum.
This programme is presented by MINT Museum of Toys. There is a charge of $35 for adults, and $25 for children and seniors for this tour.
We Shall Remember: The Story of Singapore at War – Children’s Tour
Experience an exciting afternoon’s discovery at the Battlebox through a curator’s tour and author talk, specially designed for curious participants aged 9 to 14 years old!
Uncover bite-sized secrets and stories of the Battlebox with curator and historian Tan Teng Teng.
After the tour, participants can enjoy an author’s talk and conversation with Sim Ee Waun – the author of We Shall Remember: The Story of Singapore at War.
Listen to little-known stories about the war in Singapore, and learn about the intricacies, conundrums and surprises that came with writing the book.
This programme is presented by Battlebox and there is a charge of $15 for this programme. Purchase tickets here.
Signing Up for the Battle for Singapore 2024 Programmes
This year’s entire Battle for Singapore programme line-up will feature more than 25 programmes and over 70 tour runs covering various formats and collaborations, including those offered by Museum Roundtable members, academics, heritage enthusiasts and interest groups.
For the full list of the outdoor guided tours and programmes by Battle for Singapore 2024, visit www.museums.com.sg.
Registration for tours and programmes commences 15 February 2024, Thursday at 10am, on a first-come first-served basis.
