Trending Museums on TikTok To Visit

Did you know? The search for “Singapore Museums” on TikTok has garnered over 674,000 hits (and growing!).

We stumbled across many interesting exhibitions all around Singapore on our For You Page (FYP). And so, The UrbanWire team decided to go to where the inspiration takes us, and bring you some interesting museum highlights.

If you are not travelling this holiday season, these museum spots might be a great alternative.

1. MENTAL: Colours of Wellbeing

Presented by the ArtScience Museum, MENTAL: Colours of Wellbeing focuses on the topic of mental health. With 24 interactive exhibits, it aims to spark conversations through a mix of art, culture, and technology. 

The exhibition consists of four broad themes — Connection, Exploration, Expression, and Reflection, where visitors are encouraged to roam around freely and discover the various art projects and installations.

There is no fixed route to explore the exhibition — much like how there is no fixed path in reality. A hidden story lies within each exhibit and the takeaways are left up to one’s interpretation.

One of the most memorable exhibits for me was the photo booth installation, Echo.

In the provocatively-designed photo booth, using facial tracking and touch screen technology, you could have your photo taken and see how it merges with the photos of “virtual strangers”. 

Every photo is unique in a way that it expresses the virtual stranger’s thoughts and memories. It was a rather surreal experience as my facial features morphed into theirs and my lips moved to tell their story – as if relating their experience first-hand.

According to Georgie Pinn, the artist of Echo, the multi-sensory exhibit connects strangers to break down prejudice by building empathy through the exchange of identity. She hopes visitors would be able to discover echoes of themselves in others.

Another key highlight of the exhibition is the rainbow-themed installation, Wheel.

Exploring how colourful spaces and exercise can positively affect your mood, the exhibit encourages visitors to hop on the wheel and engage in physical activity.

If you are looking for an instagrammable photo spot, this is it. Show off your best catwalk for an eye-catching photo or video — perfect for getting yourself moving and adding a burst of colour to your day!

MENTAL: Colours of Wellbeing successfully provides a space for self-reflection and observation in a delicate yet artistic manner.

Address: ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974
Opening hours: Open daily from 10am to 7pm (Last admission at 6pm)
Ticket prices: From $11.20 to $21. More information here

2. The Doraemon Exhibition Singapore 2022

Meet Doraemon – the blue cat-shaped robot with time-travelling abilities.

Growing up, I remember catching the Chinese dub of Doraemon’s adventures whenever I visited my grandparents. It was one of my favourite TV shows and I was glued to the screen each time it played.

Now that the Doraemon Exhibition has come to Singapore, it is the perfect opportunity to revisit some of these childhood memories. This is also the first Doraemon Exhibition held outside of Japan!

Located at the National Museum of Singapore, the multi-sited exhibition occupies several levels of the museum and offers a variety of experiences for fans, including a Doraemon-themed cafe and limited-edition merchandise sold on-site.

I started my walk around the museum at the exclusive section, MANGA DORAEMON Original Drawings Exhibition. The exhibit consists of 75 drawings and sketches by the late Mr Fujiko F Fujio, creator of Doraemon.

I was in awe of the artworks on display, the detail in every sketch and drawing is impressive. Not just that, along with the exhibits, you will also learn all about the history of Doraemon dating back to the 70s.

Did you know? The very first Doraemon ever created was yellow in colour. This is one of the many little known facts I discovered during my walkthrough. As a fan of Doraemon, you will be surprised by how much more you will learn about it (or just how little you know).

My second stop was the contemporary art gallery, where the artworks are split into two acts.

In the first act, Create Your Own Original Doraemon, you will see artists’ interpretations of the iconic Doraemon character – the many infinite possibilities. The second act features artists’ interpretations with references to their favourite Doraemon movies, such as Doraemon: Nobita’s Great Adventure into the Underworld and others.

Presented in the various forms of paintings, sculptures, graphics, and photography, each artist created a unique version of Doraemon inspired by their own memory of the character and how they connected with its stories.

My favourite artwork has to be Sebastian Masuda’s, ‘Final Weapon’ (2017), which can be found in the second act. Masuda was inspired by the movie Doraemon: Nobita‘s Dorabian Nights, and wondered if Doraemon would have a solution to today’s problems.

The larger-than-life sculpture made up of wood, cloth, cotton, plastic, and yarn represents the mixup of reality with fairy tales; it aptly describes the jumble of emotions we feel daily. 

Another remarkable artwork on display is the gigantic painting by Takashi Murakami, Wouldn’t It Be Nice If We Could Do Such a Thing.

Looking at the painting up close, I found many familiar scenes from the manga and TV series. This mesmerising painting is filled with the artist’s signature motif flowers illustrating iconic Doraemon moments and gadgets such as the pink Anywhere Door. 

I left the exhibition feeling wowed by the high-quality artworks and installations, and the vision and dedication of Mr Fujiki F Fujio. For fans of Doraemon, both new and old, this is a must-visit to immerse yourself in Doraemon’s world.

Address: National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897
Opening hours: Open daily from 10am to 7pm (Last admission at 6.30pm)
Ticket prices: From $25 to $30. More information here

3. PINKMAS at Museum of Ice Cream

Looking for things to do with your friends and family this Christmas? We have an idea for you.

The Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) has transformed into a pink Christmas wonderland with 14 interactive exhibitions that include a unicorn playground and inflatable float.

I started my fun-filled ice cream journey with ice cream, of course!

Located in between the different sections, there are five kiosks serving unlimited treats of ice cream and cheesecake. Each kiosk is themed differently, so you will get to taste different types of ice cream, from ice-cream cups to diner-style cones and the nostalgic potong ice cream.

I was pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of innovative and seasonal flavours such as pink coconut, lychee bandung, and strawberry cheesecake. For vegans, there is also a selection of plant-based ice cream sourced from local businesses.

One thing to note is that it is a one-way route so I would recommend you eat all that you want and snap as many photos as possible before moving on to the next kiosk. Also, the cheesecakes are served at the end, so if you are a cheesecake lover, you might want to save some room for that.

MOIC has many instagrammable spots but my favourite has to be the sprinkle pool. Why? Because taking a dip in the sprinkle pool is a sure way to get fun and candid pictures.

As part of the installation, the ceiling acts as a large, gigantic mirror – perfect for a selfie. Also, if this is your first time visiting, watch out for stray flying sprinkles!

Other than tasting ice cream and jumping in the sprinkle pool, there is also fun ice cream trivia as you make your way through the museum. One fun fact that I discovered is that it takes an average of 50 licks to finish a single scoop of ice cream.

Finally, if you are feeling the urge to visit MOIC, we have a surprise for you!

The UrbanWire has partnered with MOIC in an exclusive online deal for our readers. When you book your tickets, enter the promo code <TUW10> to enjoy a 10% discount.

Address: Museum of Ice Cream, 100 Loewen Road, Dempsey, Singapore 248837
Opening hours: Open from Wednesday-Monday, 10am to 10pm (Last admission at 8pm). Closed on Tuesdays
Ticket prices: From $36 to $52. A ticketing fee of $4 per ticket is applied at checkout — more information here

Proofread by: Danial Roslan, Kimberley Caleon and Liza Fong