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Istana Chinese New Year Open House 2023: Monday, 23 January 8:30am – 6pm
Every year the Istana opens to the public during Chinese New Year and if you get a chance to visit – it is worth a look around! Read more about what to expect at the Istana Open House here.
The CNY Istana Open House 2023 will be held on Monday 23 January 2023 and is open to all visitors. Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents enter for free. All other visitors are required to pay an entrance fee of $2 per adult.
Visitors can look forward to new features at the CNY Istana Open House such as the enhanced Swan Pond with a new viewing deck and garden stream, as well as live performances and activity booths. There will also be food stalls and a food truck as well as merchandise booths with limited-edition Istana souvenirs and President’s Challenge souvenirs. All fees collected and proceeds from the merchandise booths will go towards charities supported by the President’s Challenge
Activities for Istana Open House Lunar New Year 2023
| Time | Activity | Venue |
| Performances | ||
| 9.00am – 10.00am
|
Chinese Drum Performance by Nan Hua Primary School | Ceremonial Plaza |
| 10.30am – 11.30am | Chinese Dance Performance by Hwa Chong Institution (Alumni) | Ceremonial Plaza |
| 2.00pm – 3.00pm | Band Performance by Montfort Secondary School | Main Tent |
| 2.00pm – 3.00pm | Dance Performance by NAFA School of Young Talents | Ceremonial Plaza |
| 3.40pm – 4.00pm | Musical Performance by NAFA School of Young Talents | Reception Room |
| 4.00pm – 5.00pm | Chinese Drum Performance by Maris Stella High School | Ceremonial Plaza |
| Activity Booths | ||
| 8.30am – 5.40pm | Sharity Booth by Community Chest | Centre Gate Tent |
| Chinese Calligraphy Booth by Cairnhill Community Club | Main Tent | |
| Candle-making Workshop and Booth by Anaya Soul Retreat | Main Tent | |
| Henna Booth by Cognizant | Main Tent | |
| Guided Tours | ||
| 10.00am
11.00am – 2.30pm 4.30pm – 5.00pm |
Istana Main Building Guided Tour by National Heritage Board | Ticketing Booth at Ceremonial Plaza |
| 10.00am – 4.00pm | Nature Guided Tour by NParks | |
| Snacks and Merchandise | ||
| 8.30am – 6.00pm | Food Truck | Near Main Tent |
| Food Stalls | Main Tent | |
| Drinks Booths | Main Tent, Centre Gate Tent, Ticketing Booth | |
| President’s Challenge Merchandise Booth | Main Tent | |
Admission to Istana Open House 2023
- Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents enter the Istana grounds for free as will children below 12 years old. Other visitors will pay a fee of $2 for admission.
- Only cashless payments via SGQR will be accepted. Participating payment merchants include Bank of China, Citibank, DBS, HSBC, ICBC, Maybank, OCBC, PayNow, Standard Chartered, and UOB.
- There are also fees applicable for entry to the Istana Main Building, the Guided Tour and Nature Guided Tour.
General Istana Open House Info
The Istana is typically open to the public on five days during the year – during Chinese New Year, Labour Day, Hari Raya Puasa, National Day and Deepavali. Visitors can look forward to special performances, tour selected rooms in the Main Building or go on guided nature walks on the grounds. The Istana is the official residence and office of the President of Singapore Halima Yacob. Istana means “palace” in Malay, it is where the President receives and entertains state guests. The Istana is one impressive residence – it occupies over 40 hectares in Orchard Road. The Istana building was built by the British Colonial government in 1869 to house its governors.
The Istana stands on what used to be Charles Robert Prinsep’s nutmeg plantation, so it is a wonderfully landscaped green garden with a variety of flora and fauna. The Istana residence as well as the green garden and grounds is partially open to the public on Istana Open Days and we recommend keeping note of when you can visit to get a chance to peek into this beautiful slice of Singapore heritage.
