The National Museum of Singapore (NMS) is pulling out all the stops for the nation’s 60th birthday with its largest National Day celebration to date. Running from 18 July to 9 August 2025, the festivities invite visitors of all ages to reflect on Singapore’s journey through a rich tapestry of interactive exhibits, light projections, digital experiences, and a museum-wide celebration on National Day itself.
This year’s theme draws inspiration from the iconic 1987 National Day song “We Are Singapore”, honouring the people, values, and stories that have shaped the nation — past, present, and future.
Canvas of Light: Our Nation’s Journey
From 18 July, the museum’s historic façade lights up once more after a year’s hiatus, with a refreshed National Day Light-Up. This visual spectacular — Canvas of Light: Our Nation’s Journey — brings Singapore’s story to life with a dazzling display of projection art, symbolising resilience, unity, and national pride.
Stories of Singapore: Building Our Heritage, Brick by Brick
Inside the Stamford Gallery, a unique collaboration with The LEGO Group presents Stories of Singapore: Building Our Heritage, Brick by Brick. Inspired by the SG60 exhibition Once Upon a Tide, this playful showcase includes:
- A large-scale LEGO diorama of iconic Singapore landmarks
- Intricate brick builds of local delicacies
- Student-designed LEGO artworks inspired by the Singapore River
Visitors can also join a Make & Take activity to build their own Mini LEGO Orchid — a charming SG60 souvenir — or take part in creating Singapore’s largest LEGO mural, a community art piece vying for a spot in the Singapore Book of Records.
Adding a digital layer, the Digital River Stories activity allows guests to use their mobile devices to create and submit artwork reflecting their hopes for Singapore’s future. These artworks will be displayed in real time on a dynamic digital wall.
9 August: A Museum-Wide Tribute to “We Are Singapore”
On National Day, the celebrations expand across all four floors of the museum in an immersive experience themed after lyrics from “We Are Singapore”:
- Basement Level – “There was a time when people said…”: Hands-on activities explore Singapore’s maritime beginnings and colonial-era trade.
- Level One – “This is my country, this is my flag…”: Embrace national culture with stations dedicated to Singlish, local breakfast traditions, and other everyday icons.
- Levels Two & Three – “We Are Singapore, Singaporeans”: Relive Singapore’s journey to independence with batik-making, a heritage hunt, and artefact highlights.
End the evening with a family picnic on the museum’s Front Lawn and enjoy a live screening of the National Day Parade 2025 from 5:30 PM onwards.
Free Entry and New Exhibitions
Admission to Stories of Singapore: Building Our Heritage, Brick by Brick is free, and all visitors enjoy free museum entry on 9 August. This includes access to the newly opened Singapore Odyssea: A Journey Through Time in the Shaw Foundation Glass Rotunda, reopening 8 August 2025 as the first of the museum’s refreshed permanent galleries.
Visitors can also explore the Singapore History Gallery before it closes on 17 November 2025, with the final public viewing on 16 November.
