Best Things To Do In Singapore In June 2019

Alongside a new interactive guide to the museum for families, there are bouncy castles themed around Malayan rainforest birds, interactive performances and storytelling for the kids to enjoy. Stimulate young minds at the sensory play stations and inspire innovation at the wind-up toy-making and silhouette jar-making craft activities. If you’re planning on bringing gramps along with little ones, deepen the intergenerational bonds through an oil pastel and watercolour art therapy workshop or learn to use oil pastels from a sketch journal artist.

Jun 1-30, 10am-7pm, at National Museum, 93 Stamford Road, S178897. Admission is free. More info at https://www.nationalmuseum.sg/our-programmes/programmes-list/childrens-special-2019.

If you’re intending for your child to actually learn something while they’re on break, there are programmes to engage their artistic energy, such as these two camps by Buds Theatre. From acting, singing and dancing, to costume and set designing, participants will have no lack of opportunities to nurture their creativity in a final showcase. Not to worry, these are held over five days for less than half a day each, so it’s not gonna get too intense.

Various camp periods from Jun 3 to Aug 16, various timings, at Buds Theatre Company, The Playtent, 180 Joo Chiat Rd, #02-01, Singapore 427451. Camp fees from $300. More info at www.budstheatre.com.

For the first time in South East Asia, the contemporary street artist who hails from New York will showcase his unique abstract graffiti style with his iconic motifs. In fact, Futura pioneered new spraying techniques like his signature inverted spray move. The exhibition features 30 works produced in Singapore during his two weeks here with local art salon The Culture Story. Explore the style of this original artist who has been pushing the boundaries of street art and painting for the past 40 years.

May 30 – Jun 9, 12pm-8pm, Gilman Barracks, Lock Road, Blk 9 #02-21, S108937. Admission is free. More info at https://www.futuraconstellation.com/.

Photo: Melvin Wong for The Culture Story

Acclaimed Chinese couturière Guo Pei not only has been named one of TIME Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’, but has also had her dramatic creations worn by the likes of Rihanna at the 2015 Met Gala and Angelababy at her wedding. Get up close with some of Guo Pei’s intricate works at her first solo exhibition in Asia, where her elaborately-designed gowns are displayed alongside the Asian Civilisations Museum’s Chinese art masterpieces.

Jun 15 - Sep 15, daily 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-9pm, at Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Place, S179555. Tickets from $12. More info at https://www.acm.org.sg/.

Photo: Guo Pei

Scratching your head for ideas to keep the little ones occupied this June holidays? The motley crew from Toy Story 4 have landed at this year’s Children’s Festival held at Gardens by the Bay. The exciting line-up includes drawing workshops conducted by one of Toy Story’s character designers, meet-and-greet with Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody, and perhaps most fascinatingly, a Toy Story-themed Garden Rhapsody, a thrice-nightly light and music show featuring music from the series. There are plenty of opportunities for parent-child bonding, with activities such as art-and-craft workshops (make your own tie-dye tees!), and terrarium making. Stage performances, including a musical and a bubble show, and immersive multimedia and interactive experiences will keep the little ones enthralled.

Jun 15-30, at Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, S018953. Various fees apply. More info at www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/childrensfestival.

Mention Goodman Open House and the first thing that comes to mind is a whole host of artsy fun for the whole family. Whether you’re up for a dance workshop or touring a perfumery, or the kids prefer face painting, glasswork, rubber stamp carving, or even digitally colouring comics, there’s something for everyone at this family-friendly arts festival. Make some memories with the kids in a parent-child Mandarin drama workshop, revel in live traditional music entertainment or sit back and relax and enjoy performances, or indulge in a spot of shopping and feasting at a mini food and art marketplace.

Jun 22, 11am-5pm, at Goodman Arts Centre, 90 Goodman Road, S439053. Admission is free, while fees apply to some activities. More info at https://www.facebook.com/GoodmanArtsCentre/.

Photo: Arts House Limited

In National Gallery Singapore’s second edition of Gallery Children’s Biennale, 11 interactive and multi-dimensional artworks by regional and local artists seek to spark curiosity and imagination in young children. There’s no shortage of stimulating art to intrigue young minds, with some pieces introducing other cultures like those of Burma and Java. Throwing ping pong balls against pipes to create tunes and exploring a Malay-proverbs-inspired wooden sculptures are just few of the many things you can do here.

May 25 – Dec 29, 10am-7pm, at National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road, S178957. Admission is free for Singaporeans and PRs, while fees from $15 apply to non-Singaporeans. More info at www.childrensbiennale.com. ​​​​​​​

At the Scentscational Orchids display at Gardens by the Bay, you have to heavily rely on your sense of smell to appreciate the exhibits — there are 58 types of orchids with various scents, categorised into delicate floral, sweet floral, spicy floral and intense floral. Cheem. The interactive nature of the display, coupled with the natural beauty of our national flower, makes for a good time for the entire clan, we reckon. Who knew there was so much to make scents of when it comes to orchids?

Until Sep 22, 9am-9pm, at Cloud Forest, at Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, S018953. Admission charge to Cloud Forest applies. More info at http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/.

Photo: Gardens by the Bay

Go on a journey back to prehistoric times - specifically, the Cretaceous period when Australian polar dinosaurs lived. Taking place across seven thematic zones, the exhibition allows visitors of all ages to discover how a real-life dinosaur expedition works, by way of immersive activities such as holographic mapping, mixed reality environments and other super-cool technologies that'll wow both kiddos and kidults.

Jun 1 - Aug 23, 10am - 6pm daily, at Science Centre Singapore, 15 Science Centre Rd, S609081. Tickets from $15. For more info, visit https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/dino0819.

If you like floating inflatables, this one's for you. The latest showcase by ArtScience Museum takes you through five chapters of the history of inflatable sculptures. With more than 40 artworks, including eight giant inflatable sculptures, visitors will be in for a bouncing good time this June and beyond. Read our full review here.

May 25 - Sept 29, 10am–7pm, ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Ave, S018974. Tickets from $12. For more info, visit https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum.html.

Barbie has just turned 60, but don't even think that she's retiring anytime soon. On the contrary, she’s had over 200 careers and counting in her life, okay? How fitting it is then that her 60th anniversary campaign theme is ‘You Can Be Anything’, and that includes throwing a party in the Singapore Flyer, if you so wish. A capsule on the Flyer will be decked out in pink in conjunction with Barbie’s birthday. Guests can not only take in the views in the Barbie Flight from now until June 30, but will enjoy priority entry and a mocktail and macarons. Prefer to stay terra firma? The Singapore Flyer will light the skies up in an eye-catching Barbie pink from 6.30pm daily until Mar 21.

Until June 30 at the Singapore Flyer. Tix at $31 for kids and $69 for adults. More info at www.singaporeflyer.com/unique-experiences/.

Can humans ever co-exist with robots? Take a journey to explore how man can excel beyond their natural ability through technology, algorithm, machine learning and big data. Keep yourselves questioning human existence with this assembly of various design works including art work, research concepts and innovative products.

Til Sep 20, various timings, at Red Dot Design Museum, 11 Marina Boulevard, S018940. Tix are $11.80; free or pay as you wish for locals. For more info, visit https://www.museum.red-dot.sg/visit.

Go back in time to when Singapore first started out bottling and canning food in the 1800-1900s, and discover how packaging and designs of local food companies have evolved since. If you’re bringing the little ones along, keep an eye out for interactive activities like feely boxes, puzzles and an activity booklet to guide them along. Looks like it's a good time to take the kids out for some offline playtime.

Apr 6-Sept 15, 10am-7pm, Stamford Gallery, Level 1, National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road, S178897. Admission is free. More info at www.nationalmuseum.sg.

Forget about snapping Insta-worthy pix of our monuments and take a moment to appreciate the beauty of our historic landmarks through sketches done by three artists from the silver generation. This exhibition features poignant sketches of 18 national monuments like the Sri Mariamman Temple and Sultan Mosque. It travels through seven locations islandwide, beginning with the Jurong Regional Library (until Jun 29), before moving on to the likes of the Marine Parade Public Library and library@harbourfront.

Until Dec 30, selected NLB libraries. Free admission for Singapore Citizens and PRs. For more info, visit https://www.facebook.com/NationalHeritageBoardSG/.

Photo: Francis Theo

You don’t have to be a fan of Alice in Wonderland to enjoy this engaging, immersive and very Insta-worthy multimedia exhibition. The curious, the young and the young at heart will have a field day poring over original production costumes, magic lantern slides, visual sound effects combined with projection mapping and even a physical ‘Lost Map of Wonderland’ to experience interactive content during the exhibition, as well as online after your visit. With so many mediums telling the Alice In Wonderland story on display, make your time here even more magical at the ‘A Hat-trick of Clever Tricks’ workshop which involves math and logic.

Until Sep 22, 10am-7pm, at ArtScience Museum, 10 Bayfront Avenue, S018956. Tickets from $12, while a fee of $5 applies for the workshop. Tickets are no longer available for the workshop. For more info, visit https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum/wonderland.html.

Photo: Marina Bay Sands

Think art and social activism are worlds apart? Think again. All 142 artworks here were created in the name of activism, by artists expressing their views of social and political issues in that era. On showcase are performances like ‘They Poach the Rhino, Chop Off His Horn and Make This Drink’ criticising poaching’s effect on nature and painting ‘Dede Eri Supria’ to provoke thought about poverty amongst industrialisation and economic wealth in society. Craving for more food for thought? There’s also a roundtable talk by the curators, lectures on topics like political art movement and short films featuring themes like domesticity of women.

Until Sep 15, Sat-Thu 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-9pm, at Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery, City Hall Wing, Level 3, National Gallery, 1 St. Andrew’s Road, S178957. Tickets to the exhibition from $10, while admission to programmes is free. For more info, visit https://www.nationalgallery.sg/see-do/programme-detail/28983113/awakenings-art-in-society-in-asia-1960s-1990s.

Photo: Koh Nguang How

New streetwear swag paired with electronic music and a beer in hand on a Saturday night might seem like a dream, till now. Fred Perry’s joined forces with artists like Singapore-based DJ Eden YC for MUSIC WOVEN IN, a series of gigs at White Label Records spotlighting the fashion brand’s newest collections along with music from genres reflected in each collection. Pick up exclusive embroidered patches alluding to the Fred Perry X White Label Records collaboration, which sees different designs available each session. If you’re craving something local, look forward to imbibing some local beer, like Lion Brewery Co.’s Straits Pale Ale and their new Island Lager craft beers from 7pm-9pm. Guess this is gonna be our new hangout.

From Jun 29, 7-10pm; second session on Jul 26, while future dates and details will be released later, at White Label Records, 28 Ann Siang Road, #01-01, S069708. Admission is free. For more info, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/625283537991103/.

Photo: Eden YC