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Heritage appreciation at Fort Canning Park

Free of charge

The history of Fort Canning Park

More than a hilltop park in the city, Fort Canning Park holds historical significance to Singapore. It was once the palace home to 5 Malay kings who ruled during the 14th century. 500 years later, as the British Empire was setting up a trading post in Singapore, they began using the verdant space here for civil and military purposes.

In fact, it was deep inside Fort Canning Park at the underground command centre where British Lieutenant-General Arthur E. Percival made the fateful decision to surrender Singapore to the Japanese on 15 February 1942.

Drop by the following heritage galleries for stories, artefacts and replicas from our city's history.

Tracing more than 700 years of history, the Fort Canning Heritage Gallery offers you an informative and in-depth overview of the rich heritage of Fort Canning Hill.

There are 5 zones to explore, spread out over 2 levels of the south wing of Fort Canning Centre. Each zone is themed according to a particular aspect or role that the historic Fort Canning Hill played in the broader history of Singapore.

Opening hours: 10am to 6pm daily. Closed on the last Monday of the month for maintenance.

Highlights:

  • View archaeological artefacts excavated from sites within the park.
  • Step into the mini-theatrette within the gallery to watch a condensed version of the "From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience" film, which was previously produced for the Singapore Bicentennial centrepiece event in 2019.

Uncover the role of the spice trade in the history of Singapore and the importance of Fort Canning Park in promoting Singapore as a spice trading and production hub during an era when spices were perceived to be valuable as gold.

Opening hours: 7am to 7pm daily.

Highlights:

  • Learn about the early history of spice plantations in Singapore.
  • View replicas of a spice provision shop and local kopitiam (coffee shop) in the underpass section.

Note

The Fort Canning Spice Gallery is made possible with the support of Nomanbhoy & Sons Pte Ltd, through Garden City Fund, NParks’ registered charity and IPC.

Nomanbhoy & Sons is a homegrown spice trading company with over 100 years of history.

NEAR mobile app

Download the NEAR mobile app to find a route via our park connectors or trails.

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National Parks Board

© 2024 Government of Singapore.
Last updated on 19 October 2023.