Celebrate Deepavali at the Istana Open House (1 November 2026)

The next Istana Open House (IOH) will be held on Sunday, 1 November 2026, from 10.00am to 8.00pm (last entry at 6.30pm), ahead of Deepavali. Visitors can look forward to the first narrated Changing of Guards ceremony held in conjunction with an IOH, an evening outdoor concert, and a range of cultural performances and activities for all ages. A Community Marketplace organised by the Singapore Business Federation Foundation (SBFF) will also showcase inclusive employment support and practices, and feature booths by community organisations.

Performances and Activity Booths

2      The Changing of Guards Ceremony, accompanied by live narration offers insights into this longstanding military tradition. It marks the formal handover of sentry duties from outgoing to incoming guards, reflecting the discipline, pride and honour of the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command. Visitors can also enjoy a performance by the SAF Ceremonial Band and synchronised rifle drills by the Silent Precision Drill Squad.

3      A diverse lineup of music, dance and cultural performances will take place throughout the day, culminating in an evening outdoor concert. Highlights include homegrown singer-songwriters Ahmadul Amin and Heema Izzati, as well as performing groups from Project #JalanJalan, Extraordinary People, Micron and Quantedge. Students from Singapore Polytechnic will also present Dikir Barat and Malay dance performances.

4      The SBFF will organise a Community Marketplace featuring community organisations and inclusive employers, highlighting their efforts to support vulnerable individuals and foster a more inclusive society. Among the participating organisations are Inclus, which supports persons with disabilities in finding meaningful employment; New Hope Community Services, which provides shelter and employment support for disadvantaged individuals and families; and the Caregiving Welfare Association (CWA), which supports seniors and their caregivers. Visitors can take part in hands-on activities and learn more about the community organisations.

SBFF will also hold a fundraising event, Walk for Work, in support of EmployWell, its flagship programme that helps vulnerable individuals rebuild their lives through meaningful employment. The charity walk is only open to pre-registered corporate participants.

5      Visitors can also enjoy a dedicated reading space by the National Library & Archives Board (NLB) as part of its ReadSG initiative, featuring a selection of books recommended by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Ms Jane Ittogi. Visitors can browse the recommended titles, participate in reading-related activities, including joining the ReadSG Challenge, and redeem limited-edition “I Read at the Istana” collectibles. NLB’s mobile library, MOLLY, will be onsite for visitors to borrow books. Independent bookstore the Book Bar will also offer books for sale.

6      The Istana Stamp Rally, developed in partnership with Singapore Polytechnic, will return with newly designed stamps for visitors to collect. Suitable for all ages, the student-led initiative encourages visitors to explore different parts of the Istana grounds through activities at designated pitstops, where they can collect unique stamps and redeem exclusive Istana merchandise upon completion. The stamp rally offers a fun and interactive way for families and friends to explore the Istana together.

7      The full programme is available in Annex A

Haze Advisory

8      In line with the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) haze advisories, the upcoming Istana Open House will not proceed if the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) exceeds 200 (Very Unhealthy). Visitors are encouraged to check the latest haze advisories and the Istana website for updates before proceeding to the event.

Touring the Istana Grounds

9      Visitors are welcome to explore the Istana grounds, including its architecture, as well as its flora and fauna. Self-guided tours of the Istana Villa are available from 10.00am to 5.30pm (last entry at 5.00pm), where visitors can view a collection of State Gifts presented to Singapore’s leaders. Visitors who have pre-registered for the guided Istana Heritage Tour will tour the grounds during their selected timeslots from 10.30am.

10   The Istana Main Building is currently closed for restoration and is not open to the public until further notice.

Food and Beverages

11   Food and beverage stalls will be available. Only cashless payments via Credit/Debit Cards or QR Code^[1] will be accepted.

Admission Details

12   Entry to the Istana grounds will be by foot via the Main Gate at Orchard Road. The nearest MRT station is Dhoby Ghaut. Entry may be restricted due to capacity or inclement weather.

13   Entry to the Istana grounds is free for Singapore Citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents, and migrant domestic workers accompanying families. Other visitors are required to pay an admission fee of $20 per adult and $10 per child (4 to 12 years old). Additional fees apply for other activities, such as the guided Istana Heritage Tour and visiting the Istana Villa.

14   Please refer to Annex B for admission fees for the Istana grounds and Istana Villa, and the Istana Heritage Tour. Only cashless payments via Credit/Debit Cards and QR Code will be accepted.

15   All proceeds from entry to the Istana grounds and tours are non-refundable and will go towards benefitting programmes supported by the President’s Challenge.

16   More information about the IOH can be found on the Istana website: http://go.gov.sg/visitistana (opens in new tab).    

^[1] Participating payment merchants include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Union Pay, JCB, Bank of China, Citibank, DBS, HSBC, ICBC, Maybank, OCBC, PayNow, Standard Chartered, and UOB.

PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
ISTANA
28 October 2026

ANNEX A

PROGRAMME FOR ISTANA OPEN HOUSE

ANNEX B

FEES FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE ISTANA GROUNDS

* All fees collected will go towards the benefitting programmes supported by the President’s Challenge.

** including migrant domestic workers accompanying families.

FEES FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE ISTANA VILLA

* All fees collected will go towards the benefitting programmes supported by the President’s Challenge.

FEES FOR THE ISTANA HERITAGE TOUR*

* The guided Istana Heritage Tour is conducted by volunteers from NParks. Tours can be booked in advance through online pre-registration. All fees collected are non-refundable and will go towards the benefitting programmes supported by the President’s Challenge. Fees shown exclude Eventbrite service and processing fees.

For more information on tour availability and pre-registration details for the next Istana Open House, please visit go.gov.sg/visitistana (opens in new tab).