The revamped Changi Chapel & Museum (heritage.sg/changichapelmuseum; adult/student/child under 6yr S$9/7/free) stands as a tribute to the resilience and courage of the civilian internees and prisoners of war (POWs) who were held here during the Japanese occupation. Through eight zones, the museum chronicles the internees' harrowing experiences through personal artifacts, interactive displays, photographs and gripping accounts.
A poignant highlight is the replica Changi Prison cell, complete with an authentic door; built for one, cells like this were used for up to four prisoners. Visitors can hear historical recordings of conversations between internees through speakers strategically placed within the cell. Resourcefulness and determination are showcased in the tiny Morse code transmitter hidden in a matchbox and the replica British and Australian patchwork quilts created by women internees – these quilts sometimes carried secret codes embedded in the motifs, with messages only loved ones could decode.
The museum is also home to remarkable full-size replicas of the famous Changi Murals painted by POW Stanley Warren in the old POW hospital. The original murals, located in Block 151 of the nearby Changi Army Camp, are inaccessible to the public. The museum's centerpiece is a replica of the Changi Chapel built by inmates as a focus for worship and a sign of solidarity; here, visitors can find the Changi Cross, crafted in 1942 using the casing of a 4.5in howitzer shell and brass strips sourced from camp workshops. Interactive robot Temi offers tours through the eyes of an interned soldier. It's free and lasts 50 minutes. The museum is closed on Monday.
The easiest and fastest way to get here is by taxi.
