Battle for Singapore - Discover Singapore's World War II History

Uncharted waters, restricted sites and untold stories of Singapore’s wartime past will be explored at the National Heritage Board (NHB)’s annual Battle for Singapore. Running from 21 February to 8 March 2026, this edition features a line-up of tours, talks, exhibitions and experiences, including the first maritime-themed tour offered under Battle for Singapore. The programmes, presented by Museum Roundtable members, government agencies, heritage organisations and researchers, offer a diverse range of experiences that span from boat tours at sea to walking trails on land. These include both free and paid programmes, for which Singaporeans can utilise SG Culture Pass credits.

The Battle for Singapore 2026

📅 21 Feb to 8 Mar 2026
📍 At various locations

With over 30 programmes, Battle for Singapore will commemorate the 84th anniversary of the fall of Singapore and uncover new stories and aspects of our heritage. Diving into stories of wartime evacuations in February 1942, this year’s signature programme Passages at Last Light: Singapore’s WWII Maritime Evacuation Routes retraces the general route taken by boats fleeing Singapore as men, women and children attempted to escape heavy bombing and shelling on the mainland. For the first time, this maritime-themed experience under Battle for Singapore will take participants from the Singapore Maritime Gallery to the open waters near St. John’s Island and the Sisters’ Islands, including a disembarkation at the bigger Sisters’ Island, for an immersive historical storytelling around the locations where evacuation attempts and naval encounters took place.

Mr Goh Chour Thong, Director (International & Museum Relations), NHB, said: “We are excited to present yet another edition of Battle for Singapore with partners from the Museum Roundtable and other notable individuals and organisations from our local heritage community. Despite the long passage of time since the Fall of Singapore, there are still many new stories and perspectives to be shared, and I am particularly excited that participants of our signature tour, regardless of age, will be able to experience and appreciate Singapore’s southern waters with a refreshed and even perhaps surprising perspective. We hope all our Battle for Singapore offerings will continue the tradition of bringing these compelling stories and underrated sites representing Singapore’s key period of wartime resistance and resilience to life.”

Fresh programmes for new perspectives

New programme highlights include Exploring Pasir Panjang: A Heritage Trail which takes participants through key World War II battle sites where Singapore’s defenders stood their ground during the Battle of Pasir Panjang, including the Faber Fire Command hidden within Mount Faber. Young ones can also get hands-on with heritage at Changi Chapel and Museum with LEGO bricks stations that allow them to “rebuild” Singapore by modelling iconic World War II sites.

For more info, kindly visit here.

Highlights

Passages at Last Light: Singapore’s WWII Maritime Evacuation Routes

Battle for Singapore Passages at Last Light

📅 21, 22, 28 Feb, 1, 7 & 8 Mar 2026
🕙 5pm – 7.30pm
🏷 $55 ($50 early bird from 12-20 Feb)
📍 Singapore Maritime Gallery

The tour begins at the Singapore Maritime Gallery where participants learn about Singapore’s maritime trade history from the 14th to 20th century, featuring artefacts from the RMS Empress of Asia – a WWII troop transport that was destroyed in Singapore waters in February 1942 while carrying Allied reinforcements to Singapore. Participants then board a chartered ferry from Marina South Pier that travels near St. John’s Island and Sisters’ Islands, including a disembarkation at the bigger Sisters’ Island, retracing the general evacuation route taken by boats fleeing Singapore in February 1942. The ferry makes a round trip back to Marina South Pier, with stories of wartime evacuations shared during the journey.

This programme is presented by NHB in partnership with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

Exploring Pasir Panjang: A Heritage Trail

📅 28 Feb 2026
🕙 8.30am – 11.30am
🏷 $35
📍 Faber Fire Command / Reflections at Bukit Chandu / Gold Bell Mansion / Labrador Battery

Discover Pasir Panjang’s storied past on this guided heritage trail. Walk through key World War II battle sites where Singapore’s defenders stood their ground during the Battle of Pasir Panjang. Through rich storytelling and historical insights, gain a deeper appreciation of the area’s transformation from a rural settlement to a heritage landscape that embodies resilience, culture, and memory.

This programme is presented by Heritage.sg – Reflections at Bukit Chandu.

Rebuild the Nation: Drop-in LEGO Activity

📅 21 & 22 Feb 2026
🕙 10am – 12pm / 2pm – 3pm
🏷 Free
📍 Changi Chapel Museum

Unleash creativity and discover history while rebuilding the nation! Children will step into the role of young builders as they recreate iconic World War II landmarks such as Fort Canning, City Hall, and Reflections at Bukit Chandu. This hands-on activity blends fun with learning, inspiring kids to reflect on resilience and the power of rebuilding together.

This programme is presented by Heritage.sg – Changi Chapel Museum.

Archives Unlocked: World War II – Film Records in Colour

📅 5 Mar 2026
🕙 7pm – 8pm
📍 Free Location: Online (Zoom)

Over 30 years ago, it became clear to the speaker, Adrian Wood, that socio-political histories could be presented on television for the engagement of younger audiences using original colour images and contemporaneous sound recordings. This illustrated talk will present the story of the research behind the films and have specific focus on the imagery used, in various episodes, to tell the Singapore story of that period and addressing the difficulties faced in accessing archival records, how these challenges were overcome and the insights we gained on researching and using archives for a subject on the Second World War limited to only original colour materials.

This programme is presented by National Archives Singapore (NAS).

WW2 at Bukit Brown

📅 7 Mar 2026
🕙 9am – 12pm
🏷 $10
📍 Bukit Brown Cemetery

Join Peter Pak on an exploration of Bukit Brown Cemetery. Learn about tragic events, such as the sinking of a ship that killed women and children, betrayal leading to a hero’s delayed burial, and stories of resistance ambushes and Chinese leaders forced to collaborate with the Japanese during WWII.

This programme is presented by Peter Pak/atBB.

Memories of War

📅 21, 28 Feb & 7 Mar 2026
🕙 10am – 12pm
🏷 Adult Ticket: S$10, Student Ticket (age 7-18 years): S$5 (Children under age 7 will not be permitted on the tour)
📍 Bus Pickup & Drop-off at Expo MRT

Learn more about the life and stories of Allied prisoners-of-war (POWs) in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation (1942-45) by visiting the WW2-related sites. What was once a concentration camp for Australian POWs is now part of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Selarang Camp, while the old Changi Prison Walls in the vicinity has been preserved as a National Monument. The tour will end at the Changi Chapel and Museum, which tells the story of the POWs and civilians interned in Changi Prison camp during the Japanese Occupation.

This programme is presented by Defence Collective Singapore.

Sport – a Continuation of War by Other Means: The Role of Sport in Japanese Occupied Singapore, 1942 to 1945

📅 21 Feb 2026
🕙 10am – 12pm
🏷 Free
📍 National Library Building, L5 Possibility Room

Carl von Clausewitz, the Prussian military theorist, famously stated “war is a continuation of politics by other means”. This well-known Clausewitzian aphorism can be adapted to reflect the nexus between Sport and War, in essence, Sport is a continuation of War by other means. Japanese sport policies already had a political role to play in her East Asian colonies (Korea and Taiwan) prior to the outbreak of the Pacific War. It is reasonable to assume that practices in North East Asia would have been continued in occupied South East Asia. Having taken inspiration from Clausewitz, this talk will examine how Japanese sporting activities and policy in occupied Singapore and Malaya can be interpreted as being shaped by Japanese war objectives.

This lecture is presented by SportSG and led by Singaporean historian and heritage entrepreneur Mr Jeya Ayadurai MBE. Refreshments will be provided.

Members of the public may visit museums.com.sg for more information and to sign up for Battle for Singapore 2026 programmes. Registration for tours and programmes commences 12 February 2026 (Thursday) at 12pm, on a first-come first-served basis. Singaporeans will be able to use their SG Culture Pass credits for paid programmes.

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