So … what happened last year, happened again.
I waited for three weeks in July for this year’s National Day Light-Up to be announced. No news at all, other than for the illumination at the National Museum of Singapore, so I went ahead to photograph that and created a post.
Right after I posted the pictures, and while sipping lemonade beer at Brewnanza Fest, I checked online and saw … the announcements. Not from official websites but lifestyle portals. How six national landmarks and monuments in and around the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct would be illuminated in red and white till Aug 26, 2023. Timing is from 7.30 pm to midnight.
(What the … …)
So down I went to the area again, camera and tripod and all. The six monuments, by the way, are:
- National Museum of Singapore (NSM)
- Saint Joseph’s Church
- Maghain Aboth Synagogue
- The Peranakan Museum
- Children’s Museum Singapore
- Fort Canning Centre
I’m going to be blunt: it was a mixed experience photographing the light-up this time around. While the various illuminations are better than before, thanks to the inclusion of animations, it was impossible to photograph everything because:
- Fort Canning Centre was not illuminated. Instead, there was some sort of ticketed film event going on. (I went on Aug 4)
- The security guard at Maghain Aboth Synagogue absolutely refused to let me take any pictures. Not even from the roadside. He kept citing that the synagogue is private property.
My advice: do be aware that you might not be able to view/photograph every light-up if going about looking for them is part of your National Day celebration programme. Alternatively, you might just want to stick to the three at the NSM, the Peranakan Museum, and the new Children’s Museum Singapore. That makes for a shorter walk too.
Update Aug 7
Yikes! I made a big boo boo. Seems like there WAS a light-up at Fort Canning Centre, after all.
The illumination is at the front side of the Centre, i.e., the side facing away from Fort Canning Green where the film event was. To view it, you have to walk further up Fort Canning Link then turn into Percival Road before heading up a footpath. If you’re driving, you have to park at Percival Road and walk the rest of the way.
I … didn’t check more thoroughly the other night as it was dark everywhere and I was … unnerved. Yeah, I know, it’s embarrassing.
National Monuments Illuminated in Red and White for National Day 2023
National Day 2023 Light Up ends on Aug 16, 2023.
Other festive celebrations in Singapore.
My other Singapore events posts.
