back
23 Jan‘23

Istana Open House Chinese New Year 2023: Food Trucks, Performances and Guided Tours

Istana Open House 2023
events
Post Category - Arts + CultureArts + Culture

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.

Event Price

prices in link

Event Location

The Istana
35 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238823