National Museum of Singapore

National Museum of Singapore, at 93 Stamford Road in the Museum planning area, is the country's oldest museum, and its building was purpose-built as the island's first known public library and museum. Work on the Stamford Road site began in 1884 and the building officially opened on 12 October 1887 for what became the Raffles Library and Museum. The library and museum separated in 1957, the museum turned its focus to Singapore's history, ethnography and art in 1972, and the building was gazetted a National Monument in 1992. A redevelopment from 2003 to 2006 added a modern wing.

The flagship Singapore History Gallery reopened on 10 October 2026 after its first full revamp since 2006, tracing more than 700 years of Singapore's history from the 14th century to the present. Visitors begin with Singapore Odyssea, an immersive prelude, before walking through the gallery, where displays include a restored 1970s HDB lift and a traditional Nanyang coffee roasting machine. The reopening also marked the end of a three-year restoration carried out while the museum stayed open. The Level 2 galleries are part of a phased revamp, and the museum states they will reopen in 2027, in time for its 140th anniversary. Bras Basah and Bencoolen MRT stations are the closest stops, and Fort Canning Park rises just behind the museum.