Small Group Tour: Picturing Places of Colonial Singapore

Small Group Tour: Picturing Places of Colonial Singapore

2019 marks Singapore's 200th year since its founding by the British. How did artists view and portray everyday scenes of early Singapore? More than just an art tour, our walk will take us off the beaten path through Chinatown, Civic District and the Marina Bay. Manouver through the city in a small group and let us engage you with interesting vignettes of people and places, trades and vices as well as hardships and struggles of early immigrants. From a riverine settlement to an economic powerhouse, discover how the small island-state has progressed post-independence. Drinks included.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Thian Hock Keng Temple, 158 Telok Ayer Street Chinatown, Singapore 068613 Singapore

Visit Telok Ayer and Thian Hock Kheng Temple, Singapore's oldest Hokkien temple that played a significant role in shaping early immigrants' lives. Appreciate its vibrantly resplendent architecture and discover stories behind its intricate decorative carvings of human figures, plants and animals from historical and religious influences. Then, experience the buzz of a hawker centre and have a go at ordering a local coffee or tea. Drinks are included in the tour cost.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Marina Bay, Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018980 Singapore

Our walk takes us to the Marina Bay area where views of the Marina Bay Sands and ArtScience Museum dominate the skyline. We visit the Fullerton Hotel and Fullerton Bay Hotels, formerly the General Post Office building and a pier respectively. How much has Singapore evolved since post-independence? What were the key initiatives implemented to build up the economy? Connected by an underground postal mail tunnel, you are invited on a pictorial journey of colonial-era photographs and hear interesting vignettes of people and places.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Singapore River, Boat, Clarke, Robertson Quays, Singapore Singapore

Popularly known as the 'Belly of the Carp' which signifies prosperity, the Singapore River was a thoroughfare for ships around the world to dock and trade at. We will share the push and pull factors for immigrants, trades and vices as well as tales of hardship and success through the 19th and 20th century. Walking along the Singapore, we will see statues of the pioneers that sculpted Singapore’s development before visiting the oldest building in the Civic District.

Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: 1 St. Andrew's Road #01-01 National Gallery Singapore, Singapore 178957 Singapore

An icon of the 21st century, the National Gallery elegantly integrates the Former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings. In air-conditioned comfort, you will hear the key historical events that took place in both buildings and high-profile trials that shook the nation between the mid and late 20th century. Apart from visiting holding cells, you will also have close-up observations of the copper-clad dome, exquisite timber-paneled ceiling and towering colonnades – and hear anecdotal accounts of how the architect skillfully modernized the Neoclassical buildings with Southeast Asia architectural influences. The tour ends on a high, quite literally, on the roof deck, overlooking a picturesque view of the Civic District! Your guide will give you recommendations to spend your day in the city and plenty of lunch options.

Duration: 35 minutes