The best things to do in Singapore this May

Singapore’s mega light art festival returns to brighten up the cityscape. The much-anticipated i Light Singapore is back this May and June, and it’s shaping up to be its most dazzling edition yet. This year’s theme, To Gather, unites 17 light art installations created by 20 local and international artists. The works will be spread across Marina Bay, South Beach, and new locations along the scenic Singapore River and bustling Raffles Place.

GastroBeats, the highly anticipated annual food and music festival in Singapore, returns for its fourth edition in 2025. This year’s festival village is once again located at the pet-friendly Bayfront Event Space, and will be running from May 29 to June 22, 2025. That’s more than three weeks of free live music performances, carnival games, fun themed zones to explore, and plenty of street food by local vendors, including popular brands like Warabimochi Kamakura, Papi’s Tacos, and others. 

After touring the world in cities like Berlin, Melbourne, and Toronto, the immersive dinosaur-themed exhibition Jurassic World: The Experience is roaring its way into Singapore and taking over Gardens by the Bay’s Cloud with hyper-realistic dinosaur animatronics, reconstructions of verdant prehistoric landscapes, and interactive snippets throughout. Transport yourself back to ancient times with the Evolution Walk experience, where you can trace the history of how the Earth’s ecosystem has evolved over time through realistic replicas of vegetation that now no longer exists. Amidst the shrubbery are life-sized dinosaur sculptures, from frightening predators like Velociraptors in mid-attack, to gentle giants like the 8.5-metre-tall Brachiosaurus. There’s also going to be a petting zoo where you can coo over cute little baby dinosaurs in a face-to-face interaction session, but hold your horses before you get any ideas – you can't keep them as pets in Singapore. You’ll also be able to spot iconic scenes from the Jurassic Park blockbuster franchise which has been running since 1993. 

Jurassic World: The Experience opens in Singapore on May 29, 2025 and will run for an unspecified limited period of time. Find out more and join the waitlist here.

The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre’s flagship festival is back from May 9 to June 7, and you’re invited to celebrate the city’s rich Chinese arts and culture with a vibrant mix of theatre, dance, music, and immersive experiences. Highlights include a theatrical culinary showdown between a traditional dad and his modern son, a mesmerising dance and art installation, and orchestral performances that will stir your soul. The little ones won’t miss out either, with a variety of family-friendly programmes. With both ticketed and free events, there’s something for everyone, from culture vultures to music and theatre fans.

Get ready for the next big hit: The Phantom of the Opera, arriving at Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands in May 2025. This rendition of The Phantom of the Opera is part of its international tour, which will take the production across Asia throughout 2025. The film is adapted from Gaston Leroux's Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, and tells the eerie story of a reclusive, disfigured musical genius living in the catacombs of the Paris Opera House. Obsessed with Christine, a talented young soprano, the Phantom becomes her secret tutor and falls in love with her. However, Christine's heart belongs to Raoul, leading to a dramatic conflict as the Phantom’s obsession turns to jealousy, triggering chaos and tragedy within the opera house. For more information, visit the musical’s official webpage here.

Lady Gaga is set to perform in Singapore at the National Stadium for four crazy nights, on May 18, 19, 21 and 24, 2025. This marks her only stop in Asia – a very long-awaited return since her Born This Way ball in 2012. With 13 Grammys, an Oscar, two Golden Globes, and even a BAFTA under her (probably bedazzled) belt, Gaga isn’t just making music – she’s making history. And just recently, she released her latest album Mayhem, which the tour will revolve around. Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster. 

Monet Inside has landed at Parkview Square at GROUNDSEESAW Singapore, a space by a South Korea-based exhibition producer. This Singapore showcases more than 200 of Claude Monet's works, including his most iconic masterpieces like Water Lilies, Woman with a Parasol, and Garden at Sainte-Adresse. These are projected onto five six-metre screens and accompanied by original classical scores. It's not just about his art too. Visitors will also journey through Monet's life from his humble beginnings as a caricature artist in Le Havre and the arduous road to becoming one of the most recognised painters in the world. You'll hear it all from the lips of of his longtime friend and art dealer, Paul Durand-Ruel too, who'll be narrating part of the exhibition.

If you’ve missed Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience previously, worry not. You’ve got a second chance to witness the artist’s works at the Van Gogh Inside: Love, Vincent exhibition, arriving at our shores from January 24, 2025. This multi-sensory art exhibition will feature Van Gogh’s famed pieces, such as the beautiful The Starry Night, the haunting Wheatfield with Crows that’s regarded as one of his last paintings, and his self-portraits which depict his striking personality. There’ll be 11 original orchestral soundtracks playing in the background too. More information can be found on the here. 

The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I are just some of the iconicworks by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt, known for his symbolist pieces that often feature golden swirls and spirals. To celebrate the famed artist, the Gustav Klimt: Timeless Beauty exhibition will feature his masterpieces through giant light projections and classical music playing in the background, alongside detailed narrations of his life and legacy. Find out more here.