The best things to do in Singapore this autumn

Singapore’s all-year warm weather makes it a welcome escape from the cold elsewhere. The F1 Singapore Grand Prix may have just come and gone, but this city is still buzzing with events, exhibitions and new openings throughout autumn. Whether you’re into art, food, craft or nature, we’ve found must-visit spots worth checking out over the next few months. The National Gallery Singapore has numerous noteworthy exhibitions on show, including Singapore-born British artist Kim Lim’s retrospective, while a crop of highly-anticipated restaurants and bars like Somma and East 47 have just opened their doors. Here’s our pick of everything that’s hot in Singapore from October to November.

Future Impact 2: Homecoming Showcase

When: Until 17 Nov
Location: Asian Civilisations Museum, Contemporary Gallery Level 1, 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555
Price: 20-25 SGD

Following a successful launch at this year’s Milan Design Week, this forward-looking design exhibition is now having its homecoming showcase in Singapore. Curated by former Wallpaper magazine editor-in-chief Tony Chambers and independent design curator Maria Cristina Didero, Future Impact 2 features technology-led sustainable creations by established and emerging Singapore designers. Highlights include Gabriel Tan’s table lamps, which merge 3D-printed resin structures with traditional basket-weaving techniques, and Genevieve Ang’s collaboration with Interactive Materials Lab on their ceramics that transfer heat from object to object. By minimising environmental impact and reimagining production methods, this exhibition shows us a glimpse of how Singaporean designers are playing their part to shape a better future.

Jurong Lake Gardens

Location: Yuan Ching Road

Been to Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Botanic Gardens? Try this lesser-known green space – Singapore’s only national garden situated outside of the city centre. This 90-hectare plot may be located on the western side of Singapore, but it’s worth the journey, especially following the recent reopening of the Japanese and Chinese Gardens after a five-year makeover. Apart from restoring iconic sites like the waterfront Twin Pagoda, there are numerous new attractions including the Water Lily Garden – home to Singapore’s largest collection of these hydrophytes – and the Sunken Garden, which features a cenote-inspired centrepiece. If you’re looking to take a little breather from the city’s thrum, the Jurong Lake Gardens offers an enjoyable respite.

Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective

When: Until 2 Feb 2025
Location: National Gallery Singapore 1 St Andrew’s Road Singapore 178957
Price: 20-25. SGD

There are plenty of reasons to visit the stunning National Gallery Singapore, but this comprehensive survey of Singapore-born British artist Kim Lim’s work steals the show. It’s a groundbreaking exhibition that repositions Lim as a significant figure in 20th-century sculpture and printmaking, with more than 150 works, including maquettes, unreleased photographs and archival materials. Lim, through her four-decade-long practice, developed a minimalist language that demonstrates a subtle defiance towards dominant Euro-American discourses – her oeuvre offering a counterpoint to male-dominated sculptural traditions of the 20th century. While you’re there, don’t leave without taking in the incredible views of the Padang and Marina Bay Sands on Level 6 of the City Hall Wing.

Singapore Food Festival

When: 1-31 Oct
Location: Various
Price: Various

If you’re big on trying new and local flavours, then the annual Singapore Food Festival will be to your taste. For the whole month of October, the event will feature over 20 events that dig into all things Singaporean, from heritage cuisine to experimental fare. Celebrated chefs across the island have crafted unique experiences, like Damian D’Silva, Marvas Ng and Cheryl Koh coming together to create a dining experience in the 19th-century gothic-style chapel Chijmes Hall, complete with a four-piece string quartet. Highly rated restaurants like contemporary Malay spot Harummanis, whimsy seafood diner Marcy’s and magnificent gin bar Atlas will be hosting special one-night-only events.

The World of Studio Ghibli

When: Until 2 Feb 2025
Location: ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974
Price: 34-49 SGD

Director Hayao Miyazaki’s films have captured the imagination of audiences all around the world, and this Studio Ghibli exhibition will do the same. This is not only the renowned Japanese animation studio first official show in Singapore but one of ArtScience Museums’ largest exhibitions yet, with 11 galleries across two levels. The main draw is the 16 larger-than-life theatrical sets across eleven films, where you’ll be able to explore Howl’s castle, venture towards Totoro’s cave and hop on a train with No Face from Spirited Away. There are also box art installations that offer a closer look into the intricate details of the films. While the exhibition has travelled to a few cities in Asia, the Singapore edition has been redeveloped and includes many never-seen-before additions, such as objects from the films being used as props for the first time. The interactive exhibits will transport you into another world – something the ArtScience Museum does to perfection.

NOVA

Location: 1 Raffles Place, Level 63, Singapore 048616
Price: Free to 36 SGD

The commonly-Instagrammed Marina Bay Sands rooftop isn’t the only great place for panoramic views of the Singapore skyline. Nova takes the (literal) top spot as Singapore’s highest rooftop bar, plus you’ll catch sight of Marina Bay Sands’ own glistening towers. Located 282 metres above ground, Nova offers more than the unrivalled views. It features shiny interiors, state-of-the-art sound, and Astra – a colossal installation by Kuala Lumpur-based artist Jun Ong. Built within the star-shaped artwork are lighting effects that morph according to the DJ’s groove, creating a party experience you’ll remember.

Club Rangoon

Location: 76 Duxton Rd, Singapore 089535
Price: Noodles and rice dishes from 22 SGD, main sharing plates from 24 SGD

Singapore may be known for its remarkable diversity of food, but Burmese cuisine has largely slipped under the radar – until now. Contemporary Burmese restaurant Club Rangoon opened a few months ago in the trendy Duxton neighbourhood to wide acclaim, winning guests over with its cosy setting and moreish dishes. Founder Nelson Htoo draws from longtime family recipes to serve up fresh takes on Yangon classics – expect elevated twists all around the menu. The must-try dishes are the mohinga (rice noodles in lemongrass-catfish soup), Burmese-style biryani with wagyu beef, and dirty egg bites. The cocktails, which infuse Burmese ingredients, are worth a sip too.

Batik Nonyas: Three Generations of Art and Entrepreneurship

When: 11 Oct–31 Aug 2025
Where: Peranakan Museum, 39 Armenian Street, Singapore 179941
Price: 8–12 SGD

This fascinating exhibition follows the story of three Peranakan women from Indonesia who produced intricate batiks (patterned textiles using a wax-resist dyeing technique) in Pekalongan, a famed batik centre on Java’s northern coast. The Peranakans were a cross-cultural ethnic group whose origins began when male Chinese settlers married local women from the Malay Archipelago from as early as the 15th century. Approximately 200 batik textiles and objects, made between the 1890s to 1980s, will be showcased in this multigenerational show, whose motifs and designs illustrate the political, cultural and economic vicissitudes of their time. Nyonya Oeij Kok Sing, for example, was still blazing her path when batik mass production had begun to proliferate, developing her own palette by introducing new motifs and unusual combinations, such as pairing flora with geometrics. Apart from elaborate and vivid textiles, Batik Nonyas will also feature hands-on batik dyeing workshops, performances and tours.

East 47

Location: 1 Cuscaden Road, Level 2 Conrad Singapore, Singapore 249715

Manhattan Bar turns ten this year, and it’s celebrating with a bang: East 47 is a new bar-in-a-bar concept that takes inspiration from Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory on East 47th Street in New York City. While the former exudes old world glamour, the new spin-off is playful and irreverent. The interiors are decked with foil-like wallpaper, undulating stainless steel, blue Breuer chairs and artworks by Alana Dee Haynes and, of course, Andy Warhol. East 47’s debut menu, titled Volume 1: High Low, pays homage to famous figures and artworks in Warhol’s colourful world, like the Cosmo Marilyn, a lively Cosmopolitan-style drink, and Miss Brown, an espresso martini that pays tribute to singer Tally Brown.

Somma

Where: 46 Kim Yam Road, #04-02 New Bahru, Singapore 239351
Price: Various

Following up on the 2023 launch of the wildly popular Italian restaurant Fico, chef Mirko Febbrile – together with The Lo & Behold Group – has launched Somma, a fine-dining restaurant and pasta bar. The name, which means ‘sum’ in Italian, encapsulates Febbrile’s philosophy for this dining destination: Italian cuisine that draws from his varied experiences around the world. The food will feel familiar yet unexpected. Set in the high-ceilinged space within Singapore’s newest creative enclave New Bahru, Somma’s interiors are equally memorable. London-based Nice Projects have employed traditional Italian materials like travertine and clay alongside contemporary accents such as brushed steel to create a venue that feels old yet new – just like Febbrile’s inspired cooking.