Singapore Art Museum

Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay


Formerly the St Joseph's Institution – a Catholic boys' school – SAM now sings the praises of contemporary Southeast Asian art. The museum was undergoing a S$90 million facelift at the time of research, which is due for completion in 2023. The new, much larger, space will house the museum's permanent collection as well as those from private collections, from painting and sculpture to video art and site-specific installations.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay attractions

1. SAM at 8Q

0.08 MILES

The younger sibling of the Singapore Art Museum, which is undergoing a significant revamp until 2021, is named after its address. Snoop around four floors…

2. National Museum of Singapore

0.16 MILES

Imaginative and immersive, Singapore's National Museum is good enough to warrant two visits. At once cutting edge and classical, the space ditches staid…

3. Chijmes

0.18 MILES

Now the home of trendy restaurants and entertainment hot spots, including famed Whitegrass and exotic Coriander Leaf, neo-classical Chijmes was once a…

4. Cape of Good Hope

0.2 MILES

Cape of Good Hope is a spacious gallery showcasing local Singaporean artists, both established and up-and-coming.

5. Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

0.2 MILES

For a peek at work being turned out by artists in Singapore and elsewhere in the region, stop by the galleries inside this leading Singaporean art school…

6. National Library

0.23 MILES

Designed by Malaysian architect and ecologist Ken Yeang, this white, curvaceous brains trust is home to numerous facilities, including a reference library…

7. Peranakan Museum

0.25 MILES

Housed in the eclectic classical-style Tao Nan building, this museum is the best spot to explore the rich heritage of the Peranakans (Straits Chinese…

8. Sri Krishnan Temple

0.26 MILES

The polychromatic Hindu Sri Krishnan Temple has a magnificent silver-and-gold shrine.