The National Museum of Singapore welcomes National Day 2022 with a nostalgic light-up and related exhibitions.
(Update Jul 30, 2022: Seems like there’d be landmark light-ups after all! Will be posting a separate post on that!)
I can’t be sure at the moment, no thanks to a lack of affirmative info, but from the looks of it, there wouldn’t be any large-scale National Day Light-Up across town this year. As in, there wouldn’t be a collection of historical landmarks awash in red and white lights to welcome the country’s 57th birthday.
Instead, only the façade of the National Museum of Singapore (NMS) would be lit. With the light-up happening from Jul 18 to Aug 10.
It’s a little disappointing for me, to be honest. I was looking forward to a romantic (and sweaty) evening stroll around downtown to check out patriotic illuminations.
That said, this seems to indicate a true return to normalcy. The previous ND landmark light-ups were, after all, a replacement of sorts for many events cancelled in August 2020 and August 2021 because of COVID-19. Not having another round of such light-ups suggests everything is finally returning to normal.
I for one am looking forward to the return of the Singapore Night Festival this year. The ongoing NMS facade illumination was also good enough for a patriotic evening excursion.
National Museum of Singapore National Day 2022 Illuminations
OFF / ON: Everyday Technology that Changed our Lives, 1970s – 2000s
I reached the National Museum at 5.30 pm. And so while waiting for the light-up to start, I went through all the temp galleries of the museum, on the lookout for National Day special exhibitions.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any for the moment. The ongoing temporary exhibitions are strongly related to Singaporean history and culture, but none are overtly for the country’s upcoming birthday.
OFF / ON: Everyday Technology that Changed our Lives, 1970s – 2000s was enjoyable, though. A nostalgic look at how technology transformed the lives of Singaporeans since the 70s, there were quite a number of selfie-perfect spots as well as displays that’d make older Singaporeans go “I used to have that too leh!”
Here’s what I noticed too … Some of the nostalgic items, like pagers, yours sincerely still have mine in me drawers. Can you believe that? I’ll take it as affirmation that whatever I hoard is in truth, a cherished part of local history.
The façade of the National Museum will be illuminated till Aug 10, 2022. OFF / ON: Everyday Technology that Changed our Lives, 1970s – 2000s is ongoing till Oct 30, 2022.
Read my other Festive Celebrations in Singapore posts.
