Things to do in Singapore today

Chinatown is lighting up for the Mid-Autumn Festival, with festive decorations running until October 20. The highlight: an eight-metre-tall centrepiece of rabbits, lanterns, mooncakes and orchids honouring SG60. Overhangs along New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street glow with lotus flowers, jade pendants and a radiant moon, while Upper Cross Street features a luminous moon palace. On South Bridge Road, spot Chang’e surrounded by peonies and calligraphy panels. From now till October 6, the Chinatown Festive Fair at People’s Park Square offers handcrafted lanterns and treats. Don’t miss the lantern walk on September 27, ending with live performances.

Mid-Autumn Festival is back at Gardens by the Bay, and this year’s edition doubles as a birthday bash for SG60. Leading the way are Ang Ku Kueh Girl and her foodie friends Curry Puff Boy, Sugee Cake Girl and Roti Prata Boy, who’ll guide you through giant lantern sets charting Singapore’s journey from kampung days to modern skyline. Keep an eye out for a Merlion and Haetae lantern celebrating Singapore–Korea ties, plus a butterfly display honouring Singapore–China relations. Beyond the glow: lantern walks, DIY workshops, tea tastings, live performances, street food galore and even carnival rides to round out the night.

Shopping without shopkeepers? That’s the future, and it’s landing at Kallang Wave Mall from October 2 to 19. RED LABEL flips the script on retail with 10 edgy brands spread across three zones: Street & Style, Outdoor Essentials, and Lifestyle & Living. Think exclusive drops, limited-edition gear, and lifestyle finds you won’t scroll past on your feed. No pressure – just you and the goods. There’s even a playful side: take part in interactive games, rack up loyalty points, and spin the Gachabot for a shot at prizes. 

Shop at RED LABEL at L1 Atrium at Kallang Wave Mall – it’s open daily and admission is completely free. Follow @redlabelsg to find out more. 

Big news, VIPs: G-Dragon’s Übermensch pop-up is landing at Jewel Changi Airport from October 1 to 13. Fresh off runs in Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong, the multimedia exhibition takes over two floors with graffiti-streaked subway sets, giant daisy inflatables and even 3D holograms of GD himself – almost like a private performance. Past editions also featured an immersive VR music video experience, so expect plenty of photo-worthy moments. The pop-up coincides with his third solo album, Übermensch, so get your playlists ready, outfits planned, and oppa poses perfected. 

Presented by local wellness platform Half, the Museum of Hidden Objects and Feelings invites you to pause and reconnect with the quieter parts of yourself. The exhibition unfolds across eight interactive booths, showcasing personal items like sketchbooks and childhood keepsakes – each carrying the emotions and memories of its owner. Through these everyday objects, the museum highlights how things can anchor meaning and spark connection, whether you relate to someone else’s story or see your own experiences in a new light. Visitors can also contribute: upload a photo and short write-up of your chosen object, anonymously if you wish.

Back for its eighth edition, Women in Film and Photography at Objectifs takes on the theme What We Carry – unpacking self-identity, belonging and the memories we hold (or need to let go of). Artists from across Asia bring intimate works drawn from lived experiences, inviting audiences to reflect on the weight of personal histories. Screenings include A Quiet Load, Camp! Along the Mekong River, and Carnival of Solitude: The World of Qiu Miaojin. Beyond film, dive into workshops on paper-crafting and map-making, or join masterclasses in visual storytelling where you can even develop your own photo book.

Japanese cinema goes far beyond the enchanting worlds of Studio Ghibli. The Japanese Film Festival returns this year to celebrate the breadth and depth of the country’s filmmaking, with screenings at Golden Village Suntec City and Oldham Theatre.

The line-up spans tender coming-of-age tales, thought-provoking dramas and everything in between. Opening the festival is Hayakawa Chie’s Renoir, an intimate and ethereal sophomore feature – made even more special with the director herself attending for an exclusive Q&A and masterclass. Other highlights include Cells at Work!, 6 Lying University Students, A Girl Named Ann and many others.

Do you nerd out over stamps? Then the SG60 Stamp Exhibition 2025 is a showcase you cannot miss. Marking Singapore's 60th year of independence, the SG60 Stamp Exhibition takes over the Visual Arts Centre from October 10 to 12. It's a three-day showcase diving into Singapore's heritage and evolution through stamps, postcards, and postal memorabilia; from vintage National Day issues and airletters to the story of Singapore Airlines and the old Malayan Postal Union.

Expect over 50 frames of rare collections, alongside daily commemorative cachets and vendor booths for collectors to explore. Organised by the Association of Singapore Philatelists with support from local stamp societies, this free exhibition is open to all.

Step into the world of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) at Healing Heritage, an exhibition tracing its roots from 19th-century medical halls to its role in everyday Singapore life today. Split across five thematic zones, it spotlights milestones in TCM’s history – from community-run clinics to charitable institutions offering affordable care. It looks into the present and future too, exploring how digital diagnostic tools and halal-certified products are modernising this age-old practice. With archival materials, recreated settings and immersive displays, the exhibition celebrates TCM as both a cultural legacy and a living, evolving tradition that continues to heal and connect communities.

The magic comes to an end, and it’s going out with a bang. The Harry Potter Film Concert Series wraps up with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in Concert at the Esplanade Theatre on October 10 and 11, 2025. Watch the epic finale unfold in high definition on a massive 40-foot screen as the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra performs Alexandre Desplat’s Grammy-nominated score live. Relive every spell, duel and triumph as Harry faces Voldemort one last time – because some finales deserve to be felt, not just seen.

It's been a hot minute (seven years, actually), but music icon Mariah Carey is finally returning to Singapore. The songstress, famed for her extraordinary vocal range and elaborate vocal runs, will be performing for one precious night only at the Arena @ Expo. 

Titled The Celebration of Mimi, the concert will take place on October 8. It celebrates the 20th anniversary of Mariah Carey's tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi. It's a legendary record that's been credited with reviving her career, producing hit tracks like "We Belong Together" and "It's Like That". To date, it's sold over 10 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. 

Japan often ranks high on everyone’s travel wishlist – but if schedules and budgets aren’t quite lining up, you can still get a slice of the experience right here. The Japan Rail Fair is back at Guoco Tower, celebrating all things Japanese railway culture.

This year’s fair brings together 23 booths, each shining a light on how Japan’s railway heritage extends far beyond transport. Browse quirky merchandise, collect station stamps and sample Japanese snacks that you’d usually only find across the tracks in Japan.

Adding to the fun is a stamp collection game: visit all 23 booths to collect stamps and you’ll stand a chance to enter the daily lucky draw. Prizes up for grabs include round-trip tickets on Japan Airlines and AirJapan, JR East Passes, Japan Rail Club omiyage snack boxes and plenty more rail-themed souvenirs.

Traditional, realism, tribal, blackwork, watercolour – whichever tattoo style you’re inclined to, you’re bound to find it at the largest gathering of international and local tattoo artists in Singapore. Get inked by some of the biggest names in the biz including Egon Weiss (France), Jee Sayalero (Spain), and Karina Lin (China). There'll be competitions throughout the show, with categories like Best in Colour, Best in Minimalist, and Best in Cover Up, alongside performances to keep the energy up.

For the fourth edition of Crack the Case, The Dreamcatcher follows Kamil Noor, a scientist in the fictional city of Ikanpura, who becomes a prime suspect after a device he planted at an undisclosed location.

This immersive mystery experience is a fun way to bond with your friends while racing against the clock, as it fuses theatre with escape-room elements, inviting audiences to solve puzzles, uncover clues and piece together Kamil’s plans before time runs out. Don’t expect to sit back and watch the action unfold onstage, as everyone is encouraged to move around the theatrical set, explore the cinematic space and interact with the environment.

The Deepavali Open House is back at the Indian Heritage Centre, and it’s your ticket into the sights, sounds and flavours of the Festival of Lights. Weekends light up with a Festive Market packed with artisanal bakes, Indian snacks, handcrafted jewellery and vibrant ethnic wear. Get crafty with DIY workshops – think clay lotus ornaments or floral tealight holders – or play dress-up with traditional outfits, fragrant garlands and free henna art. Once evening falls, catch cultural performances under the stars and snack on festive favourites like murukku, masala chai and rose syrup drinks. 

Step into a radical vision of the future at the ArtScience Museum, where Another World Is Possible is on display from September 13, 2025 to February 22, 2026. The exhibition presents a distinctly Singaporean perspective on what lies ahead, emphasising environmental pragmatism, careful planning and a sense of responsibility for the world to come. This ethos is reflected throughout the exhibition’s architecture, design and artworks.

Highlights include pieces by filmmaker and speculative architect Liam Young, alongside works from both international and local creatives such as Björk, Torlarp Larpjaroensook, Osbourne Macharia, Ong Kian Peng, Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Ming Wong and others, offering a thought-provoking exploration of how art and design imagine possible futures.

Mahjong, congkak, Go...there innumerable Asian games we're sure are part of your fondest childhood memories. This September, the Asian Civilisations Museum is exhibiting Let's Play! The Art and Design of Asian Games, which takes a look at how these games, whether sporty or strategic, have evolved and shaped communities and traditions over time. Explore more than 150 games, and actually try them out at interactive installations. There'll be fun outdoor set-ups and talks and programmes throughout the exhibitions long run, too (until June 7, 2026). 

In the Ether: A Festival of Quantum Science and Technology invites visitors to dive into the fascinating world of quantum mechanics and explore how this invisible science shapes the future. Held at the ArtScience Museum, the exhibition combines installations, performances, talks and interactive programmes to make this complex field accessible to all.

Visitors can discover real artefacts from research labs that reveal the behaviours of light and matter, watch immersive audio-visual presentations that narrate experimental particle physics, and experience animations exploring different perceptions of time. With its blend of science and art, the exhibition offers a rare chance to see quantum science come to life in various artistic ways.

It’s official: Singapore Oceanarium has opened its doors and it’s three times bigger than the former aquarium. With 22 immersive zones and hands-on experiences like fossil digs, sea jelly tours, and deep-sea adventures, this refreshed next-gen aquarium is now the latest must-visit destination in Asia. Explore towering coral reefs, walk beneath a life-sized whale skeleton, and snap stunning shots of moon jellies, manta rays and more. You can even take on a walking net experience suspended over a 9th-century ship replica. With so much to explore, it’s worth setting aside a full day to take it all in. Find out more here.

What if we told you that you could walk among dinosaurs – all without a time machine? After touring the world in cities like Berlin 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 Forest with life-like dinosaur animatronics and interactive snippets throughout. We’re talking towering 8.5-metre-tall Brachiosaurus, a thrashing Tyrannosaurus Rex, and a petting zoo where you can interact with adorable baby dinosaurs.

The Gallery Children's Biennale returns to National Gallery Singapore from May 31, 2025 to March 29, 2026 for its fifth edition, themed Tomorrow We'll Be.... Coinciding with the Gallery’s 10th anniversary and Singapore’s 60th birthday, this year’s event invites visitors to explore the possibilities of their future through the values of joy, kindness, dream and love. Families can look forward to eight immersive and multi-sensory installations by local and international artists, alongside a series of engaging programmes designed to inspire creativity and reflection.