The best things to do in Singapore this week (Aug 26-Sep 1)

Here’s the perfect excuse to cruise: Marina at Keppel Bay is hosting an exclusive Bicentennial National Day voyage onboard its marine treasure, The Admiral, on August 3 and 9 from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. With a pitstop at the Marina Bay right when the fireworks go off, it's a great alternative to catch the show away from the massive crowds.

Look forward to an art and culture focused weekend at the Asian Civilisations Museum. Wander through special exhibition Guo Pei: Chinese Art and Couture for inspiration, then create your own pouch with designs from Chinese art. Also, make sure to sit in the interactive drama performance to gain knowledge of the spread of Chinese art to the rest of the world.

From 18 to 20 July, you can commemorate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's landing on the moon at Moongazers. The three-day event is complementary to Floating Utopias. Specially curated by ArtScience Museum, the programmes explore the reverberations of Apollo 11's achievement through a series of performances, talks and workshops.

Check out Siah Armajani's first institutional exhibition in Asia. Inspired by democratic ideals and American vernacular architecture, this Iranian-born artist's sculptures, drawings and public installations dwell on principles like 'nobility of usefulness' and 'art on a civic scale'. Don't miss highlights which include the large-scale installation Sacco & Vanzetti Reading Room #3 (1988), the Tomb series drawings and models, and a film programme developed by film scholar and curator Dr Marc Glöde, which expands on Armajani’s early experimental films from 1970.

From printmaking traditions, textures of graffiti and neon signages to hypnotically seamless wallpapers and digital moving images, explore Takashi Murakami's dynamic artistic expression at this milestone solo exhibition. Focusing on the link between the 'Superflat' theory and iconography which launched his global career to a recent examination of the recessive realism of Japan's economic bubble crisis, coined 'Bubblewrap', be one of the first to marvel at his range of exciting and never-before-seen works.

Experience the opulence and reverence of tradition and heritage as 29 stunning embroidered masterworks by China's foremost couturière, Guo Pei, awaits you at this exhibition. On display are her dramatic, sculptural gowns reflecting influences from growing up in Beijing surrounded by Chinese imperial art and mythology, as well as expressing her personal take on contemporary fashion and aesthetics. As this exhibition showcases a dialogue between historical and contemporary Chinese design, you can expect Guo Pei's creations to be juxtaposed with 20 Chinese art pieces in the Asian Civilisations Museum's collection too.

Delve further into Singapore’s past with a two-part showcase at the historic Fort Canning Park. Time Traveller is a cinematic experience that takes you through 700 years of history with five multimedia shows. While Pathfinder is a free-and-easy experience that presents Singapore’s journey from past to present through eight interactive pavilions and installations.

Take the kiddos on an art adventure through National Gallery Singapore. This year’s Children’s Biennale features 11 interactive artworks by local and international artists. Let your little hitmakers create their very own tunes at Chance Operations or embark on an experiential journey across time and space at Stardust: Soaring Through the Sky’s Embrace.

Enliven your Orchard experience with an all-new roving pop-up concept, NAO (Night at Orchard). Happening every first weekend of the month along the stretch between ION Orchard and Ngee Ann City, expect a showcase of talents across fashion, arts, dining, and music. Highlights include culinary offerings by popular brands like Old Chang Kee and Michelin-starred restaurant Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro, shopping options with the likes of up-and-coming brands such as oasis:skin and Indigo Culture, and busking performances from NoonTalk artiste Gavin Teo, One Moment of Glory winner Jill-Marie Thomas, and popular indie acts like Codie Loh, Raphael Leong and Yeo Ming Jun.   

Stop and smell the beautiful orchids like Phalaenopsis bellina and Maxillaria tenuifolia at Gardens by the Bay's newest orchid display in the Cloud Forest, Scentsational Orchids. Learn about the different scent each type produces, and take in the sweet and intense fragrance of the massive floral display.

Delve into the world of food packaging in Singapore, dating from the early bottling and canning factories in the late 19th to early 20th centuries to the light industries in the 60's and 70's when food was manufactured in factories. Prepare to feel a sense of nostalgia as the kid-friendly exhibition showcases old-school products, tracing the evolution of packaging technologies and the design identities of local food brands. Kids can have a go at the interactive points where they can learn about eco-friendly practices. With rich artifact collections and compelling tales from key players who have helped shaped Singapore's complex food packaging history, ranging from producers and designers to retailers and consumers, the exhibition also explores the future of packaging and how we can reduce our environmental footprint.

Journey further into Southeast Asia – past and present – as the Asian Civilisations Museum opens three new permanent galleries Ancestors and Rituals, Christian Art and Islamic Art, along with new items on display in the museum's Trade galleries that explore the artistic exchanges within Asia and the rest of the world. The Ancestors and Rituals gallery shines its spotlight on a diverse range of Southeast Asian artefacts that reflect the barter of ideas and cultural interactions among various tribes and communities in the region. The Christian Art gallery exhibits intricate works of cross-cultural art created in Asia that are dedicated to the religion.  The Islamic Art showcases the wealth of artistic traditions that arise from the expansion of Islam in Southeast Asia. As part of Southeast Asia in the World, the museum is also hosting a new series of trails that provide visitors an understanding of Southeast Asia's role in the world through beautiful illustrations by local artist Muneera Malek.