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Last Monday, I gave you my favorite food destinations for 2019 (read it here). Now, I’m giving you my Top 5 Galleries, Museums, and Tours for 2019. Starting with Top 5…

But wait! An honorable mention again: The Battlebox Tour (Singapore)

I say “again” because I also have an honorable mention in my food destinations list. Come on! Choosing 5 is a difficult task! Anyway…

The Battlebox Tour tells the fascinating story of the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in WWII, which is considered “the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history.” Rated as No. 1 Museum in Singapore by TripAdvisor, the tour happens inside a renovated British command center found underneath Fort Canning Hill. If you like history, especially WWII events, you’ll definitely enjoy this tour!

Entry to the Battlebox is exclusively through guided tours. On Tuesdays to Sundays and Mondays that are Public Holidays, the guided tour schedules are as follows: 9:45AM, 11AM, 1:30PM, 2:45PM, and 4PM. On regular Mondays, the schedules are: 1:30PM, 2:45PM, and 4PM. Please take note that photography and videography are not allowed.

I chose not to include this in the Top 5 because I’ve been to Fort Siloso in Sentosa Island. It more or less tells the same story.

Address: 2 Cox Terrace, Singapore | Operating Hours: Daily: 9:30AM-5:30PM | Admission Fees: Adults, SGD20; Children (7-12 years old), SGD10 (Tip: Book via Klook for discounted rates) | Facebook | Website

Now, the Top 5…

5. Casa Gorordo Museum (Cebu, Philippines)

The Casa Gorordo Museum used to be the home of Isidro Gorordo. Four generations of Gorordos lived there, including Juan Gorordo, the first Filipino bishop of Cebu.

The Gorordo ancestral house is a kind of balay nga tisa (house with tiled roof), with an architecture that mixes Chinese, Spanish, and native influences. It was bought by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) and then converted into a museum, which now showcases the lifestyle of the Gorordo family and the Cebuano culture.

Address: Don Eduardo Aboitiz St. (formerly Lopez Jaena St.), Brgy. Tinago, Cebu City | Operating Hours: Daily, 9AM-5PM | Admission Fees: P120 (inc. of guided tour and a souvenir); 20% discount is offered to senior citizens, college students, and high school students of all nationalities | Facebook | Website

4. Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum (Malacca, Malaysia)

Like Singapore, Malaysia is also a melting pot of different cultures, ethnicities, and religions. Ethnic Chinese, Indians, and Malays largely compose the racial makeup of the country, with the Malays still the majority. There are many minority groups as well. One is the Peranakans, which has always piqued my interest.

So who are the Peranakans? They usually refer to people with Chinese and Malay or Indonesian descent. Also known as Straits Chinese, they are descendants of Chinese immigrants who married local women. (As I learned in my visit to Singapore’s Peranakan Museum, not all Peranakans have Chinese ancestry. There are Indian Peranakans as well, also known as the Chitty.)

In Malaysia, the Peranakans mostly settled in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malacca, and Penang. So if you’re visiting Malacca and want to understand Peranakan culture more, visit the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum. The museum used to be the ancestral home of the Chan family for 4 generations. Then it was converted into a museum in 1985, showcasing the lavish lifestyle of the family.

Sadly, photography isn’t allowed inside the museum.

After you visit the museum, make sure you try a Peranakan meal. Head over to Nancy’s Kitchen for amazing Peranakan food. Read about my visit here.

Address: No. 48 & 50 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10AM-5PM (last admission at 4:15PM); Friday-Sunday, 10AM-6PM (last admission at 5:15PM) | Admission Fees: Adults, MYR16; Children (5-12 years old), MYR11 (Guided Tours have additional MYR4 per adult) | Facebook | Website

3. Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) is a museum that showcases thousands of Islamic artifacts, artworks, and even scale models of different masjid (mosques) around the world, all dispersed in 12 galleries. It’s housed in a massive building with a modern architecture and Islamic feel. In constructing the building, IAMM employed workers from Muslim nations. For example, Iranian tile workers labored the entrance and Uzbekistan craftsmen worked on the building’s five incredible domes.

I’m trying to focus cleaning this artifact! LOL. This is an activity at the special exhibit called “Conservation: Craft or Science?”

During my visit, there was even an exhibit called The Story of Coffee. As a coffee lover myself, I find it an interesting exhibit, helping me understand the history (including conflicts!) of my favorite drink.

As a Christian, I’m not well-acquainted with the Muslim world. But my visit to IAMM gave me a good introduction to Islamic culture. (This is what travel does for me. It helps me understand and respect cultures and religions other than mine.)

Address: Jalan Lembah Perdana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily inc. Public Holidays (except Hari Raya Aidilfitri), 9:30AM-6PM | Admission Fees: Adults, MYR14; Students (with ID) and Senior Citizens (Malaysians that are 60 years old and above), MYR7; Children (6 years old and under), Free | Facebook | Website

2. Singapore Mobility Gallery

I am very impressed with Singapore’s transport system. It’s orderly and efficient. It also didn’t happen overnight and it would be interesting to learn how it developed through the decades.

Good thing there’s the Singapore Mobility Gallery! Operated by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the Gallery gives a behind-the-scenes look on how the LTA plans, designs, builds, and operates the country’s transport system. It has 7 zones which can be explored in a non-linear manner, with some focusing on the future of Singapore’s transport system.

You can “train” as Bus Captain. This is just one of the many fascinating activities in the gallery.

Address: Land Transport Authority, L1 Block 1, 1 Hampshire Road, Singapore | Operating Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:30AM-5PM; Saturday (for pre-arranged community visits only), 9:30AM-1PM | Admission Fees: Free! | Website

1. Harmony in Diversity Gallery (Singapore)

Aside from its transport system, there’s another thing that I appreciate about Singapore—its religious harmony. This topic is interesting to me because first, I work full-time for a religious organization. Second and more importantly, Singapore is a multi-ethnic nation. This means that there is a diversity of religion as well.

So how do Singapore’s major religions get along? That is best explained with a visit to the Harmony in Diversity Gallery (HDG). Operated by and housed in the Ministry of Home Affairs, the HDG promotes the appreciation of Singapore’s religious harmony, which took years to achieve.

Mutual understanding and respect are key ingredients to religious harmony. To foster these, one should seek commonalities among different religions.

The exhibit on the Maria Hertogh Riots is one of the interesting parts of the gallery.

Address: #04-05/06 Ministry of National Development (MND) Building Annexe B, 7 Maxwell Road, Singapore (above Amoy Street Food Centre; do a food crawl after your visit!) | Operating Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM | Admission Fees: Free! | Facebook | Website

What are your Top 5 galleries, museums, and tours for 2019? What did you enjoy the most about them? Comment them below! I might visit them next.

Zoy's Top 5: 2019 Galleries, Museums, and Tours