History of Changi Museum

The Changi Museum in east Singapore is dedicated to remembering the events surrounding the Japanese occupation of Singapore and specifically the lives and experiences of the thousands of civilian and Allied prisoners of war who were held in the Changi prison camp area.

The museum contains a number of different exhibits including an area holding replicas of the famous Changi murals – painted by British POW Stanley Warren during his time in captivity.

Other sections of the Changi Museum focus on the early days of the war, personal possessions donated by the POWs themselves and a selection of other artwork produced by the prisoners. There is also an area devoted specifically to the infamous Changi Prison itself, including an original piece of the prison wall as well as an original cell door. A final exhibition at Changi Museum focuses on the end of the war as well as the many stories of bravery, survival and heroism which were documented during the occupation.

Conditions at Changi during the war were said to be horrendous and the prisoners’ experiences were often depicted in murals, sketches and even immortalised in a book by novelist, James Clavell.

Changi Museum Today

As well as the many exhibitions, the Changi Chapel can be found at the Changi Museum and allows visitors to light a candle to remember those who were held at Changi during the war.

Overall, Changi Museum offers a very moving insight into the lives of the prisoners and serves as both a place of remembrance and education.

Getting to Changi Museum

As there is no public parking available in the vicinity, visitors are advised to take public transport or private car hire to the museum.

If travelling by bus, you may alight from bus no. 2 and 29 at Changi Chapel Museum stop (97209) or Opposite Changi Chapel Museum stop (97201) (5-min walk). You can also alight from bus no. 5 at Changi Women’s Prison stop (97059) or Opposite Changi Women’s Prison stop (97051) (10-min walk).

If travelling via MRT, you may alight at Upper Changi Station (DT34) on the Downtown Line, then transit to bus no. 2 at Upper Changi Station/Opposite SUTD stop (96041). Get off 7 stops later at Opposite Changi Chapel Museum stop (97201) and cross the road to reach the museum.

History of Kranji War Cemetery

Before 1939, the Kranji area was a military camp and at the time of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, it was the site of a large ammunition magazine. On 8 February 1942, the Japanese crossed the Johore Straits in strength, landing at the mouth of the Kranji River within two miles of the place where the war cemetery now stands.

On the evening of 9 February, they launched an attack between the river and the causeway. During the next few days fierce fighting ensued, in many cases hand to hand, until their greatly superior numbers and air strength necessitated a withdrawal.

After the fall of the island, the Japanese established a prisoner of war camp at Kranji and eventually a hospital was organised nearby at Woodlands.

Kranji War Cemetery today

Following the war, the hospital burial place became a veterans’ cemetery and today Kranji War Cemetery in the northern Singapore region of Kranji is home to 4,458 marked graves.

These graves belong to the service men and women who fought for Singapore’s freedom in World War II, of which almost nine hundred are unidentified. Kranji War Cemetery is also home to 64 World War I graves, many of which were actually moved to Kranji War Cemetery at a later date. For example, three of the World War I memorials are for soldiers who were buried in Singapore and Saigon, but whose grave have never been found.

Kranji War Cemetery is also the resting place of some of Singapore’s presidents including its first two presidents, Inche Yusuf bin Ishak and Benjamin Henry Sheares. Kranji War Cemetery sits beside the Kranji War Memorial, dedicated to those who fought for Singapore in World War II.

Getting to Kranji War Cemetery

Kranji War Cemetery is 22 kilometres north of the city of Singapore, on the north side of Singapore Island overlooking the Straits of Johore. It is located just to the West of the Singapore-Johore road (Bukit Timah Expressway) on Woodlands Road, just to the south of the crossroads with Turf Club Avenue and Kranji Road. There is a short approach road from the main road.

The Cemetery is known locally as Kranji War Memorial and one must be sure of the address before boarding a taxi as most taxi drivers do not know the Cemetery. There are also bus stops on the main road facing the Cemetery. The Kranji MRT (train) terminal is a short distance from the Cemetery, approximately 10 to 15 minutes away by foot. A previous visitor has advised us that a small map of the route can be obtained from the MRT ticket office.

History of Kranji War Memorial

Before 1939, the Kranji area was a military camp and at the time of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, it was the site of a large ammunition magazine. On 8 February 1942, the Japanese crossed the Johore Straits in strength, landing at the mouth of the Kranji River within two miles of the place where the war cemetery now stands.

On the evening of 9 February, they launched an attack between the river and the causeway. During the next few days fierce fighting ensued, in many cases hand to hand, until their greatly superior numbers and air strength necessitated a withdrawal.

After the fall of the island, the Japanese established a prisoner of war camp at Kranji and eventually a hospital was organised nearby at Woodlands.

Kranji War Memorial today

Made up of twelve columns, representing the formation in which the military marches, a wing-shaped roof representing the air force and crowned with a wall which portrays the periscope in dedication to the navy, the Kranji War Memorial is a fitting commemoration of all three branches of the armies who fought for Singapore’s freedom.

In fact, soldiers from numerous countries fought for this cause, including those from Britain, Sri Lanka, India, Australia, Canada, Malaya, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

The approximately 24,300 names inscribed on the columns of Kranji War Memorial are those of the soldiers from all of those countries whose bodies were never found together with the words “They died for all free men”.

Kranji War Memorial is a beautiful yet haunting reminder of Singapore and neighbours the Kranji War Cemetery.

Getting to Kranji War Memorial

Kranji War Cemetery is 22 kilometres north of the city of Singapore, on the north side of Singapore Island overlooking the Straits of Johore.

It is located just to the West of the Singapore-Johore road (Bukit Timah Expressway) on Woodlands Road, just to the south of the crossroads with Turf Club Avenue and Kranji Road. There is a short approach road from the main road.

Today, you can see the Merlion Statue from the 2,500 acre Merlion Park, as well as on branding at most Singapore tourist spots and in the 2018 romantic comedy film, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’.

Merlion Statue history

The Merlion was originally designed by Fraser Brunner, a curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium, as an emblem for the Singapore Tourist Board. Brunner intended the lion’s head of the Merlion to represent the lion seen by Prince Sang Nila Utama when he rediscovered Singapura or ‘Lion City’ in 11 AD.

The prince’s lion head sits on the body of a fish, which is symbolic of Singapore’s roots as a fishing village and from which the ‘Mer’ half of Merlion’s name derives, meaning ‘Sea’.

Whilst there are actually 5 official Merlion statues, the original was built by Singapore craftsman Lim Nang Seng between 1971 and 1972, weighing 70 tons and reaching 8.6 metres high. The statue was opened by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 15 September 1972, standing at the mouth of the Singapore River.

However, when it was completed in 1997, the Esplanade Bridge blocked views of the Merlion. So in 2002, the statue was relocated 120 metres away to the current Merlion Park looking out over Marina Bay. In 2009, the Merlion was hit by lightening an fragments of its head were scattered on the ground.

Merlion Statue today

Today, guarding Singapore from its perch in Merlion Park, the Merlion Statue is flanked by 2 smaller versions of the Merlion. This giant statue spouts a smooth line of water into the river before it. You cannot miss this icon if you’re wandering about the city, particularly at night when it is dramatically lit up from below.

Getting to the Merlion Statue

Merlion Park is completely free to visit and boasts lots of restaurants, shops and cafes offering Singapore’s local delicacies. The statue is located at 1 Fullerton near the Marina Bay waterfront and is a short walk from Raffles Place MRT station.