Singapore is a vibrant city with a variety of fascinating events and activities. We have fantastic local cuisine, limitless shopping areas, and world-class architecture. A destination’s historical sites are also very important to its tourism. These sites offer tourists to get a glimpse of the past, as well as learn about the culture, art, and architecture of the area. Here are five historical locations in Singapore worth visiting:

National Gallery Singapore

What is now known as the National Gallery of Art The former Supreme Court and City Hall used to be two national landmarks in Singapore. Both buildings, which are located in the centre of the civic area, have witnessed a number of significant events in Singapore’s history. Both the former Supreme Court and City Hall, which were built in the 1920s and 1930s, now house Singapore’s largest museum, which exhibits a wide collection of artworks within its historically rich halls.

The Majestic

The Majestic Theatre, a prominent Cantonese opera theatre, was its previous name. Then, in 1938, it was renamed Queen’s Theatre, a movie theatre that showed the latest Cantonese blockbusters. However, during the Japanese occupation it began showing other films particularly Japanese propaganda pictures. In the early 2000s, the refurbished structure was renamed The Majestic and converted into a shopping mall. The exterior which is covered in colourful tiles representing Cantonese opera scenes, is the building’s major attraction.

Changi Prison

A maximum-security prison built in 1936 in British Singapore to detain up to 600 offenders serving extended sentences. It was used as a detention camp for residents and Prisoner-of-Wars (POWs) during the Japanese occupation, which lasted from 1942 until 1945. Despite the construction of a new prison complex in 2004, most of the ancient jail including the entrance gate, wall, and turrets, has been preserved to honour those who were imprisoned during the Japanese occupation and it is still used as a civilian prison.

Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall

In 1942, a temporary hospital was used to treat victims of Japanese air raids. Following the Japanese occupation, the Victoria Memorial Hall was used as a courtroom to trial war criminals. Now, the concert hall which hosts a variety of world-class events and is home to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is currently an important part of Singapore’s growing performing arts scene.

Old Hill Street Police Station

The structure was formerly one of the best police barracks in the world, but it was only decommissioned in 1980. Its facade is now difficult to miss, with 927 rainbow-colored windows calling for a second look. The distinctive building’s main courtyard (the ARTrium) which houses the Ministries of Communications and Information and Culture, Community and Youth, routinely hosts ad-hoc Arts events ranging from large-scale visual art exhibitions to a varied range of performances.