News Releases
Istana Open House on 30 July 2016
26 July 2016
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The Istana grounds will be open to the public on Saturday, 30 July 2016, from 8.30am to 6.00pm, in celebration of the upcoming National Day.
Programme highlights
The annual Istana Art Event and the Arts & Heritage Village will be the main highlight of this Istana Open House. Co-organized by the National Gallery Singapore and the National Heritage Board and in collaboration with the President’s Office, this annual community outreach programme celebrates arts and national heritage in commemoration of National Day through various activities such as an on-the-spot art competition and fun-filled activities. More information can be found in Annex A
In addition to the annual Istana Art Event and the Arts & Heritage Village, visitors to this year’s National Day Istana Open House will also be entertained by performances by Bendemeer Primary School and Queenstown Secondary School, Saint Andrew’s Junior College Concert Bands, and the SAF Music and Drama Company. There will also be game stalls run by Raffles Girls School students and other activities. The programme line-up is listed in Annex B
Members of the public can choose to sign up for the Nature Guided Walk at the Istana, a collaboration between the President’s Office and the National Parks Board (NParks) which will showcase the Istana’s flora, fauna and biodiversity, or take a guided tour of the Istana main building led by volunteers from the Preservation of Sites and Monuments division of the National Heritage Board and view selected function rooms and display of gifts presented to the President and the Prime Minister by foreign dignitaries.
Visitors can also choose to do a self-guided tour with the help of the “Istana Garden Walk” mobile application, which includes features such as a self-guided Plants Trail to discover 10 types of beautiful plant species in the Istana Gardens and maps of Places of Interest and Plants Trails.
Admission Details
Entry to the Istana grounds is free for Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents. All others visitors are required to pay an entrance fee of $2 per person. Entry to the Istana grounds is via the main gate at Orchard Road. The nearest MRT station is Dhoby Ghaut.
Additional fees as specified in Annexes C and D will be applied for the guided tours. Istana souvenirs will also be on sale during the Open House. Proceeds from the sale of souvenirs and all entrance fees collected will be donated to charity.
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
26 JULY 2016
ANNEX A
Istana Art Event and Arts & Heritage Village
Table caption
General Info | The Istana Art Event is an annual community outreach programme co-organised by the National Gallery Singapore and National Heritage Board, in collaboration with the President’s Office. The event is held in conjunction with the Istana Open House to celebrate National Day. Celebrating arts and national heritage, this event invites families and children to commemorate our nation’s independence through arts and cultural activities within the Istana grounds. Istana Art Event is anchored by the popular On-the-Spot Art Competition and Arts and Heritage Village. The On-the-Spot art competition for 2016 is based on the theme of “Building Our Singapore of Tomorrow”. The 2016 edition of Istana Art Event aims to enrich the community’s creativity, passion for the arts and appreciation for Singapore’s heritage across diverse audiences. This year, the event will feature an array of free, fun-filled art activities at 16 stations organised by arts and heritage institutions in the Arts and Heritage Village. |
|---|---|
On-The-Spot-Art Competition | Theme: Building Our Singapore of Tomorrow Time: 10am – 3pm (Announcement of winners at 4pm, and the prize presentation at 4.40pm) Venue: Main Tent & Villa Categories: Junior Category [Ages 3 to 6] | Intermediate Category [Ages 7 to 12] We invite all children, aged between 3 to 12 years*, to join the On-The-Spot Art Competition. This year’s theme is Building Our Singapore of Tomorrow. Don’t forget to bring your own colouring materials! The first 1,000 participants to submit their artwork will receive an exclusive Istana Art Event goodie bag and enjoy free entry to the Istana Main Building. Prizes Note: * Ages as at 1 January 2015 |
Arts and Heritage Village | ARTS & HERITAGE VILLAGE Time: 9am – 5pm(Last entry at 4.30pm) Organised by National Heritage Board & 12 partners from the Museum Roundtable Take part in exciting art and craft activities presented by selected museums and institutions! Play classical games of yesteryear; engage in hands-on art activities such as making hand-held fans inspired by sea creatures or designing your own paper vintage robots; and dress up as a samsui woman or with Shakespeare-inspired props. All activities are free! |
ANNEX B
MAIN HIGHLIGHTS FOR NATIONAL DAY ISTANA OPEN HOUSE
ON SATURDAY, 30 JULY 2016
Table caption
Time | Activity | Venue |
|---|---|---|
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Balloon Sculpturing by SingTel Recreation Club | Main Tent |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Istana Merchandise and drinks booths by NCSS | Centre Gate |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Istana Garden Walk Mobile Phone Application Booth by Temasek Polytechnic | Centre Gate |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Games Stalls by Raffles Girls’ School | Centre Gate |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Istana Main Building Self-Guided Tour | Ticketing Booth near Ceremonial Plaza |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Snacks and Biscuits Booth by NCSS | Near Main Tent |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | National Heritage Board Merchandise Booth | Villa |
9.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. | Istana Main Building Guided Tour by National Heritage Board | Ticketing Booth near Ceremonial Plaza |
9.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. | Opening of Arts and Heritage Village | Centre Gate |
10.00 a.m. – 11.00 a.m. | Performance by Saint Andrew’s Military Band | Main Tent |
10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. | On-The-Sport Art Competition | Villa |
10.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. | Nature Guided Walk organised by NParks | Ticketing Booth near Ceremonial Plaza |
3.00 p.m. – 4.10 p.m. | Performance by Queenstown Secondary School Concert Band | Ceremonial Plaza |
3.30 p.m. – 4.40 p.m. | Performance by SAF Music and Drama Company | Main Tent |
4.00 p.m. | On-The-Sport Art Competition (Announcement of Winners) | Main Tent |
ANNEX C
FEES FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE ISTANA MAIN BUILDING
The following fees are applicable for the tours of the state room, banquet hall and reception room in the Istana main building:
Table caption
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents | Unguided | Guided* |
|---|---|---|
Children (4 to 12 years) | $2.00 | $2.00 |
Adult | $4.00 | |
Package for family of four | Not applicable | $12.00 |
Others | ||
Children( 4 to 12 years) | $2.00 | $2.00 |
Adult | $4.00 | $10.00 |
Package for family of four | Not applicable | $30.00 |
* ISTANA MAIN BUILDING GUIDED TOURS
Guided tours are conducted by volunteers from the Preservation of Sites and Monuments division of the National Heritage Board. The tours are limited to 15 persons per group, and depart every 20 minutes from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm.
All fees collected will be donated to charity.
For more information, visit the National Heritage Board website.
ANNEX D
FEES FOR NATURE GUIDED WALK AT THE ISTANA
The following fees are applicable for the Nature Guided Walk at the Istana:
Table caption
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents | Guided* |
|---|---|
Children (4 to 12 years) | $2.00 |
Adult | $4.00 |
Package for family of four | $12.00 |
Others | |
Children( 4 to 12 years) | $2.00 |
Adult | $10.00 |
Package for family of four | $30.00 |
* Guided tours are conducted by volunteers and are limited to between 12 to 15 persons per group, and depart every hour from 10.00am to 4.00pm.
All fees collected will be donated to charity.