News Releases
Usher In The Lunar New Year At The Istana Open House
27 January 2025
This article has been migrated from an earlier version of the site and may display formatting inconsistencies.
The Istana Open House (IOH) will be held on Sunday, 2 February 2025, from 8.30am to 6.00pm, to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Members of the public can immerse in the festivities with live performances and activity booths, as well as tour the Istana grounds and explore its rich heritage.
Performances and Activity Booths
A full day of live performances and fun activities await the whole family. Visitors can look forward to activities including trying their hand at Chinese calligraphy and playing nostalgic Kampung games such as five stones. Visitors of all ages can also learn more about disability sports and experience paralympic sports try-outs for boccia, sitting volleyball and blind football.
There will also be a series of musical and dance performances. Visitors can look forward to a lion dance and drums ensemble, musical performances on traditional instruments such as pipa, dizi, guzheng and erhu, Chinese cultural dance, and contemporary music and symphony band performances.
The performances will be put up by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) School of Young Talent, LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore, Nam Wah Opera, Singapore Police Force, and U-Live (NTUC).
Please refer to Annex A for the full programme.
Tours of the Istana Grounds
Embark on a self-guided tour to explore the grounds’ architectural heritage, and unique landscape of flora and fauna. Self-guided tours of the Istana Villa are available from 8.30am to 6.00pm, during which visitors can take a closer look at a selection of State Gifts presented over the years to Singapore’s leaders. Visitors who have pre-registered their slots for the guided Istana Heritage Tour will tour the grounds during their selected timeslot from 9.00am to 4.00pm.
Snacks and Merchandise
7. There will be food stalls, food trucks as well as merchandise booths with limited-edition Istana souvenirs and President’s Challenge souvenirs. Only cashless payments via the Credit/Debit Card and QR Code[1] will be accepted.
Admission Details
Entry to the Istana grounds will be via the Main Gate at Orchard Road. The nearest MRT station is Dhoby Ghaut. Entry may be restricted due to capacity or inclement weather.
Entry to the Istana grounds is free for Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents (including their caregivers). All other visitors are required to pay an entrance fee of $20 per adult and $10 per child (4 to 12 years). There will be added fees for entrance to the Istana Villa.
Please refer to Annex B for fees for entrance into the Istana grounds and Istana Villa, and the Istana Heritage Tour (fully booked). Only cashless payments via Credit/Debit Card and QR Code will be accepted.
All proceeds from the entrance into the Istana grounds, tours, and the Istana and President’s Challenge merchandise booth, will go towards charities supported by the President’s Challenge.
More information can be found on https://www.istana.gov.sg/visit-and-explore/istana-open-house
ANNEX A
PROGRAMME FOR LUNAR NEW YEAR ISTANA OPEN HOUSE
Schedule and programme list for lunar new year at Istana open house
Time | Activity | Venue |
|---|---|---|
Performances | ||
10.00am to 10.10am | Chinese Dance Performance by NAFA School of Young Talent | Main Tent |
10.45am to 11.15am | Symphony Band and, Pipes and Drums performance by Singapore Police Force | Main Tent |
11.45am to 12.00pm | Opera Performance by Nam Wah Opera | Main Tent |
12.30pm to 12.50pm | Ukelele Performance by U-Live (NTUC) | Main Tent |
1.20pm to 1.40pm | Music Band Performance by LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore | Main Tent |
2.00pm to 2.15pm | Music Performance with Pipa, Dizi, Erhu and Guzheng Instruments by NAFA School of Young Talent | Main Tent |
2.30pm to 2.50pm | Ukelele Performance by U-Live (NTUC) | Main Tent |
3.10pm to 3.25pm | Opera Performance by Nam Wah Opera | Main Tent |
3.45pm to 4.15pm | Symphony Band and, Pipes and Drums performance | Main Tent |
4.30pm to 4.50pm | Lion Dance and Drums Ensemble by Nanyang Girls’ High School | Main Tent |
Activity Booths | ||
8.30am to 6.00pm | Visitors can look forward to activity booths for face painting, Chinese calligraphy, customising their own scented diffusers, go on a scavenger hunt activity, and play traditional Kampung games. Visit activity booths by social services agencies like APSN, Dyslexia Association of Singapore, and Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC), to learn more about their support and upliftment for beneficiaries. Visitors can learn more about disability sports and experience sports try-outs including boccia, sitting volleyball and blind football. All proceeds from the entry to the Istana grounds, tours and Istana and President’s Challenge merchandise booth will go to benefitting organisations supported by the President’s Challenge. Proceeds from the social service agencies’ booths will go to the agencies themselves. | Main Tent |
Guided Tours | ||
9.00am – 4.00pm | Istana Heritage Tour* *Tour slots have been fully booked. Hourly tours start from 9.00am, with the last tour departing at 4.00pm. | Istana Heritage Tour Booth near Main Entrance Rain Tent |
Snacks and Merchandise | ||
8.30am – 6.00pm | Food Trucks | Near Food Tent |
Food Stalls | Food Tent | |
Drinks Booths | Food Tent | |
Istana and President’s Challenge Merchandise Booth | Main Tent | |
ANNEX B
FEES FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE ISTANA GROUNDS
Istana grounds entrance fees
Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents** | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
Adult | Free | $20.00 |
Children (4 to 12 years) | Free | $10.00 |
Children (Below 4 years) | Free | Free |
*All fees collected will go towards the benefitting organisations supported by the President’s Challenge
**including their caregivers
FEES FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE ISTANA VILLA
Istana villa entrance fees
Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
Self-guided | Self-guided | |
Adult | $2.00 | $10.00 |
Children (4 to 12 years) | $2.00 | $5.00 |
Children (Below 4 years) | Free | Free |
*All fees collected will go towards the benefitting organisations supported by the President’s Challenge.
FEES FOR THE ISTANA HERITAGE TOUR*
Istana heritage tour fees
Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
Adult | $8.00 | $30.00 |
Children (4 to 12 years) | $4.00 | $12.00 |
Children (Below 4 years) | Free | Free |
For more information on tour availability and pre-registration details for the next IOH, please visit https://www.istana.gov.sg/visit-and-explore/istana-open-house.