National Museum of Singapore

Singapore's oldest museum, founded in 1887, occupies a grand neoclassical building crowned by a stained-glass dome and grafted onto a sweeping glass-and-steel wing. Its centrepiece, the Singapore History Gallery, walks you from the island's 14th-century beginnings through colonial rule, the brutal WWII occupation and on to independence and the modern city-state — a superb primer for first-time visitors. Lighter 'Life in Singapore' galleries upstairs evoke everyday culture, food and film. Don't miss the immersive Story of the Forest digital installation that spirals down the Glass Rotunda. Budget about two hours, and grab a free guided-tour timing at the entrance.