THE INDIAN HERITAGE CENTRE WELCOMES EVERYONE HOME WITH FREE ADMISSION AND LATE NIGHT ENTRY AT THE DEEPAVALI OPEN HOUSE 2026
The Indian Heritage Centre’s (IHC) annual Deepavali Open House returns from 17 October to 8 November 2026. This year, the Centre becomes a House of Memories, bringing together familiar settings, traditions, and experiences that evoke memories of Deepavali in Singapore. Visitors can reminisce while experiencing the festival in new ways, with decor inspired by scenes from the past, textiles, archival images, and festive objects that recreate shared experiences of this beloved celebration.
Exploring community stories and familial traditions
Recreating the warmth of a Deepavali home, the Level 1 Lobby features an installation of Yesteryear Images alongside an Heirloom Saree Display. The photo exhibition and digital showcase present archival Deepavali images from across generations, while three cherished sarees contributed by the community spotlight personal family stories and show how these precious garments are kept, worn, and passed down through generations.
Stepping into nostalgia with interactive activities
Step into interactive nostalgia at the Vintage Photo Booth & Dress Up station, an old school studio setup inspired by retro Deepavali portraits where guests can dress in traditional attire, pose, and capture nostalgic photo mementos. The lobby also features drop-in craft activities including DIY Mini Mithai (sweet) Box decorating and Clay Brooch Painting with peacock motifs, a vintage Deepavali Card Station to write and mail festive postcards, and a short quiz for participants to redeem limited-edition Deepavali Money Packets.
Extended hours at IHC
Celebrate Deepavali into the night as IHC extends its operating hours until 8.00pm on Saturday evenings throughout the Open House period! The Centre’s facade and Campbell Lane will also host a vibrant lineup of live music and dance performances, highlighted by special Saturday night collaborative showcases by precinct partners Gayathri Dance Academy and AKT, set against the illuminated backdrop of the precinct light up.
Shopping for festive essentials
Festive shopping has long been an integral part of the Deepavali experience. On Level 2, the Mini Deepavali Expo brings this cherished street market tradition directly into the Open House, creating a vibrant indoor festive bazaar. Visitors can browse a curated selection of traditional beauty products, handcrafted items, and sarees to prepare for their festive celebrations.
IHC has also curated a lineup of ticketed workshops, including hands-on Indian miniature painting and culinary masterclasses featuring North and South Indian biryani styles (Biryani Stories). Beyond the museum, IHC’s festive identity extends across the precinct through a custom mural at Little India MRT station, weekend craft pop-ups, and a bus wrap collaboration in partnership with the Land Transport Authority (LTA), and workshop partnerships with Raffles Social Innovators (RGS-SPIN) and Orange Valley Active Ageing Centre, to provide festive experiences for community members.
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026
🕙 10am – 6pm [Extended till 8pm on Sat]
📍 Indian Heritage Centre
🏷 Free and ticketed
For more information, please visit here.
List of Programmes for the Deepavali Open House 2026
FREE ADMISSION & LATE NIGHT ENTRY
Special Saturday Night Performances (by Gayathri Dance Academy & AKT)
📅 17, 24, and 31 Oct 2026
🕙 6:00pm – 7:00pm
📍 IHC Facade / Campbell Lane
🏷 Free
A headline evening showcase co-presented with precinct partners Gayathri Dance Academy and AKT, bringing vibrant dance and music to Campbell Lane under the glow of the Little India Light-Up.
Lobby Activation & Interactive Experiences
Yesteryear Archival Images
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026 (Saturdays & Sundays)
🕙 Museum Operating Hours
📍 IHC Level 1 Lobby
🏷 Free
Yesteryear Archival Images features a curated photo exhibition and digital TV showcase which present archival Deepavali images across generations, and bring familiar festival memories to life.
Heirloom Saree Display
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026
🕙 Museum Operating Hours
📍 IHC Level 1 Lobby
🏷 Free
A display of community-contributed sarees, each carrying personal stories and memories, highlighting how garments are kept, worn, and passed down as family traditions.
Vintage Photo Booth & Dress-Up
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026 (Saturdays & Sundays only)
🕙 Museum Operating Hours
📍 IHC Level 1 Lobby
🏷 Free
An old-school studio photo booth inspired by retro Deepavali portraits, where visitors can dress up in traditional festive attire, pose, and capture nostalgic photo mementos.
Drop-in Craft Activities
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026 (Saturdays & Sundays only)
🕙 Museum Operating Hours
📍 IHC Level 1 Lobby
🏷 Free
Hands-on craft activities for all ages, including decorating DIY Mini Mithai (sweet) Boxes inspired by festive sweet boxes, and Clay Brooch Painting featuring traditional peacock, elephant, and lotus motifs.
Deepavali Greeting Card Station
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026 (Saturdays & Sundays only)
🕙 Museum Operating Hours
📍 IHC Level 1 Lobby
🏷 Free
A display of vintage Deepavali greeting cards that reflect the tradition of exchanging festive wishes by post. Visitors can revive the once-familiar practice of snail mail by writing and mailing their own cards at the Open House.
Deepavali Money Packet Quiz Redemption
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026 (Saturdays & Sundays only)
🕙 Museum Operating Hours
📍 IHC Level 1 Lobby
🏷 Free
Take part in a short Deepavali quiz to redeem a specially designed, limited-edition money packet inspired by traditional textile borders and festive motifs.
Performances & Stage Showcases
Special Saturday Night Performances (by Gayathri Dance Academy & AKT)
📅 17, 24, and 31 Oct 2026
🕙 6:00pm – 7:00pm
📍 IHC Facade / Campbell Lane
🏷 Free
A headline evening showcase co-presented with precinct partners Gayathri Dance Academy and AKT, bringing vibrant dance and music to Campbell Lane under the glow of the Little India Light-Up.
Live Open House Cultural Performances
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026 (Saturdays & Sundays only)
🕙 Selected hours between 11:00am – 6:00pm
📍 IHC Facade
🏷 Free
Live Indian music and dance performances amp up the festive energy throughout the Open House weekends, offering opportunities to watch in awe and gather, and participate.
Festive Shopping & Community Activations
Mini Deepavali Expo (Festive Market)
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026 (Saturdays & Sundays only)
🕙 Museum Operating Hours
📍 IHC Level 2 Special Exhibition Gallery
🏷 Free
A curated market featuring traditional beauty products, handcrafted items, and sarees, bringing the traditional festive bazaar to the Open House.
LTA Precinct Mural & Bus Wrap Feature
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026
📍 Little India MRT Station & Precinct Buses
Deepavali artwork extends beyond the museum through a custom mural at Little India MRT station, weekend craft pop-ups, and a bus wrap feature bringing IHC’s visual identity into the precinct.
Guided Tours & Precinct Highlights
IHC Docent & Curator Guided Museum Tours
📅 17 Oct to 8 Nov 2026 (Saturdays only)
🕙 7:00pm
📍 IHC Permanent Galleries
🏷 Free
Guided museum tours led by IHC docents, alongside an exclusive session hosted by IHC curators, which offer insights into museum artifacts and festival stories. These will complement the existing guided tours at IHC, which are available in English, Tamil, and Mandarin.
Head to https://www.indianheritage.gov.sg/en/whats-on/guided-tour for more details.
Workshops & Masterclasses (Ticketed)
Miniature Art Painting
📅 31 Oct and 1 Nov 2026
🕙 31 Oct: 4:30pm – 7:30pm / 1 Nov: 10:30am – 12:30pm
📍 IHC Level 2
🏷 Paid (Registration required via Peatix)
A hands-on introduction to Indian miniature art painting that explores detailed artistic traditions, techniques, and historical aesthetics behind this distinctive art form.
Cooking Demonstration with Chef Devagi
📅 17 Oct 2026
🕙 10:30am – 12:30pm
📍 IHC Level 2
🏷 $10/pax (Registration required via Peatix)
Join Chef Devagi for an interactive cooking demonstration featuring fragrant Hyderabad chicken biryani and refreshing cucumber and pomegranate raita.
Cooking Demonstration with Chef Dhershini
📅 18 Oct 2026
🕙 10:30am – 12:30pm
📍 IHC Level 2
🏷 $10/Pax (Registration required via Peatix)
Discover Northern Indian cuisine with Chef Dhershini as she prepares fragrant prawn biryani and refreshing beetroot raita, sharing traditional flavours, ingredients and techniques.
Deepavali falls on 8 November 2026 and here is our round-up of Deepavali events 2026 that you can look forward to in Singapore.
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