Things to do on Singapore's National Day 2022
9 August is Singapore’s national day and is the day when Singapore separated from the Malaysia federation in 1965. 9 August 2022 marks the 57th anniversary of Singapore’s independence. It is a public holiday and there is no work or school for all residents in Singapore.
In 2022, the customary National Day Parade (NDP) will be held at the Marina Bay area. Apart from watching the NDP at Marina Bay area or online starting from around 5pm, national day theme activities and promotions planned for adults and children are available across the island.
We have curated a list of things you can do this National Day 2022 with your friends, families and loved ones from morning till night:
Learning about the history, people, and culture of Singapore on National Day 2022
Learning and appreciating Singapore’s history and culture is the best way to celebrate Singapore’s birthday. Two of Singapore’s premier museums, National Museum of Singapore (NMS) and the Asian Civilization Museum (ACM), have put together programmes and activities to help Singaporeans and residents learn more about the country, history, people and culture.
- Address: 93 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178897 [Map]
- Nearest MRT station: Bras Basah
Photos via National Museum of Singapore / Website
Activities for Families & Friends
- National Museum Building Tour for Families – Free Admission
- Activity: Learn about the 135-year old museum through a guided tour.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 11:00am – 11:45am & 3:00pm – 3:45pm
- Venue: Rotunda, Level 1
- Note: This activity is limited to 15 pairs of parent & child on a first-come first-served basis.
- Encounters with History: Soapbox Tours by Museum Docents – Free Admission
- Activity: Learn about Singapore’s 700-year history through a guided tour presented with historical artefacts.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
- Venue: Singapore History Gallery
- Outdoor Games & Activities – Free Admission
- Activity: Bond with inter-generational family through traditional childhood games in Singapore.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 10:00am – 4:30pm
- Venue: Bus Bay, Level 2
Activities for Kids
- Let’s Gotong Royong: Community Batik Painting and Batik Display – Free Admission
- Activity: Build community spirit (gotong royong in Malay) through collaborative batik painting with other Singaporeans and residents. The painting features Singapore’s symbols and national icons.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 10:30am – 06:00pm
- Venue: Gallery Theatre Foyer, Basement Level
- National Day Scavenger Hunt @ NMS – Free Admission
- Activity: Participate in a treasure hunt game to search for little-known aspects of Singapore in the museum’s galleries. Redeem a National Day souvenir upon completing the hunt.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 10:00am – 05:30pm
- Venue: Seminar Room, Level 2
- National Day Photobooth – Free Admission
- Activity: Gather friends and family for a photo op with props featuring prominent Singapore icons.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 10:00am – 7:00pm
- Venue: Longer Concourse, Level 1
Evening & Night-time Activities
- Live Telecast of National Day Parade – Free Admission
- Activity: Watch NDP 2022 live telecast onsite at National Museum.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 05:15pm – 08:30pm
- Venue: Museum Front Lawn
- National Day Light-Up – Free Admission
- Activity: Facade projection of images about Singapore from evening till midnight.
- Date: 18 July to 10 August 2022
- Time: 07:30pm – 12:00am
- Venue: Museum Front Lawn
Other than the free activities we have shortlisted above, there are many other free and paid activities happening throughout the day at the National Museum:
- Writings on the Wall
- Artist and Sustainability: Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) 2022 Art Exhibition
- Drop-in craft activities by Sengkang Green Primary School
- Drop-in Activity: Zen Art with Singapore Icons
- My Garden City: A Drawing Workshop by MessyMsxi
- Drop-in craft activity: SG Icons Coaster Making
- Singalong Storytelling Session: Sing A Song of Hawker Food
- Interactive Storytelling: The River That Gives Us Life
- Adventure Playground by Chapter Zero
- Open Score Project
- Silver Songbirds
- I.AM
- Sustainable Food powered by a Sustainable Workforce
- Merchants of Singapore: A Participatory Character Tour
- Talk at the Tuckshop: Interracial Friendships and Relationships
Click here to know more about these activities.
- Address: 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555 [Map]
- Nearest MRT station: Raffles Place
Photos via Asian Civilisation Museum, Singapore / Website
- What’s Cooking? National Day Cooking Demonstration – Free Admission
- Activity: Workshop by professional chefs to cook two Singaporean dishes. Get a tasting portion of the product and also some hands-on in preparing egg-salt.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 11:00am – 12:30pm & 2:00pm – 3:30pm
- Venue: River Room, L2
- Suitable for participants aged 10 & above. This activity is free-of-charge but participants are required to place a SGD 10 per person refundable deposit to register. Click here for more information.
- Drop-in Craft: Clay Otters – Free Admission
- Activity: Sculpt clay otters with your kiddos and bring them home!
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 10:30am – 3:30pm
- Venue: Foyer, L2
- Suitable to participants aged 6 & above.
- Guided Tours of ACM – Free Admission
- Activity: Guided tour through collections of cross-cultural art at the museum.
- Date: 9 August 2022
- Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm
- Venue: ACM Lobby
Places to watch NDP fireworks on National Day 2022
Photos via NDPeeps / Facebook
Didn’t manage to get the NDP 2022 tickets at the Float? You can still get to watch the NDP fireworks in the Marina Bay area. Check out these paid and free places where you can watch the fireworks up-close during the parade:
Lounges, hotels, and sky bars to watch NDP 2022 fireworks
- MBS Sky Park Observation Deck – From SGD 47 per adult or SGD 134 for family package of 4
- Watch the fireworks real close on the 56th floor of MBS!
- Night hours on National Day 2022: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
- Location: Marina Bay Sands
- Address: 1 Bayfront Avenue, Marina Bay Sands, Hotel, Tower 3, Singapore 018971 [Map]
- Nearest MRT station: Bayfront
- Singapore Flyer National Day Special Sky Dining – From SGD 500 for 2 guests
- Celebrate Singapore’s 57th birthday with your loved one from 165 metres above the NDP show right below. Indulge in the 90-minute ride accompanied with a 4-course dinner and champagne.
- Starting Time: 7:00pm (Check-in: 6:30pm)
- Location: Singapore Flyer
- Address: 30 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039803 [Map]
- Nearest MRT station: Promenade
- LeVel33 – From SGD 150++ per person
- Enjoy a sumptuous National Day dinner at the rooftop restaurant in Marina Bay Financial Centre. [Menu]
- Location: MBFC Tower 1
- Address: 8 Marina Boulevard, #33 – 01, Singapore 018981 [Map]
- Nearest MRT station: Downtown
- Note: A minimum spending of SGD 150++ per person is required in the Social Dining Room, and a minimum of SGD 250++ per person is required on the terrace.
- CÉ LA VI Club Sky Bar – From SGD 168++ per adult
- Watch the fireworks, enjoy the music, while indulging in local bites and drinks at the Skybar atop Marina Bay Sands.
- Dining hours: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
- Location: Marina Bay Sands
- Address: 1 Bayfront Avenue, Marina Bay Sands, Hotel, Tower 3, Singapore 018971 [Map]
- Nearest MRT station: Bayfront
- Note: Reservation is required.
- CÉ LA VI Club Lounge – From SGD 300++ per adult
- Enjoy an array of special Singapore-style BBQ and bites, along with nostalgic games and face painting activities dedicated to kids and family. Local DJs KFC, Brendon P. and Kenneth Francis will be performing on the day.
- Dining hours: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
- Location: Marina Bay Sands
- Address: 1 Bayfront Avenue, Marina Bay Sands, Hotel, Tower 3, Singapore 018971 [Map]
- Nearest MRT station: Bayfront
- Note: Reservation is required.
Free places to catch NDP 2022 fireworks
- NDP 2022 in the Heartlands – Free Admission
- Part of the NDP 2022 programme, fireworks will also be set off at 5 locations in the heartland across the island.
- Opening hours: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
- NDP fireworks 2022 timing: Estimated between 8:15 pm and 8:25pm
- Locations:
- National Day Fiesta 2022 – Free Admission
- Picnic with friends and family at the open space outside Singapore Sports Hub while watching the live telecast of NDP 2022 on the big screen. Live fireworks will also be set off in the vicinity.
- Event hours: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
- Location: Singapore Sports Hub, OCBC Square
- Address: 4 Stadium Walk, Singapore 397697 [Map]
- Nearest MRT station: Stadium
- Public spots around Marina Bay – Free Admission
- Esplanade Park [Map]
- Jubilee Bridge [Map]
- Merlion Park [Map]
- The Lawn @ Marina Bay [Map]
- The Promontory@Marina Bay [Map]
- Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade [Map]
- Marina Promenade [Map]
- Bay East Garden [Map]
- Note: HomeTeamNS will be holding their private National Day celebration at this location from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Public is advised to arrive earlier to chope spaces that have not been taken by this event.
In a media statement on 4 August 2022, the Singapore Police advises the public to arrive early at the Marina Bay area on National Day as there will be security checks on people and belongings.
To prevent overcrowding, the area will also be closed once its full capacity is reached. As such, keep a lookout on the real-time Crowd@MarinaBay status if you are going to one of the public spots we have listed above.
