Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to get to Singapore Art Museum by MRT. We hope that when you read this article you will save time and money by following these steps. Singapore Art Museum is conveniently located and it is serviced by different MRT stations. We will outline what are the best stations for accessing this popular museum in Singapore.
One of the best strategies while in Singapore is booking a room near an MRT station. You can then land at Changi Airport and avoid using a taxi to get to your hotel. Then, when you want to visit places such as Singapore Art Museum there is no need to spend time in traffic or parking a vehicle. Just simply walk to the station and be on your way!
Fortunately, there are tons of hotels within walking distance of stations throughout the city. We have included two popular ones below with their respective stations:
Marina Bay Sands (5-star) (Bayfront Station)
Fairmont Singapore (5-star)(Esplanade Station)
You can walk to either one of these hotels in 1-2 minutes from the stations listed above.
Why should you visit Singapore Art Museum?
According to the official website, Singapore Art Museum “will be pivotal among contemporary art museums in the region, inspiring humane and better futures through meaningful encounters with art.” Singapore Art Museum opened in 1996, and at the time was the first art museum in the city. It is a popular contemporary art museum that is located in a beautiful, fully restored 19th-century school.
You can expect exhibitions at Singapore Art Museum to change throughout the year. This means that multiple visits are possible and you are bound to experience different works of art. Expect to find a range of different artworks including paintings, sculptures and interactive media that includes visual and auditory cues.
With one of the world’s most important public collections of Southeast Asian contemporary artworks and strong programs for young artists, this is a great place to visit while you are in Singapore.
Singapore Art Museum is also within walking distance to other popular museums in the city. For example, you can easily walk from the Singapore Art Museum to the National Museum of Singapore and the MINT Museum of Toys.
There are also many budget-friendly hotels right near the museum such as:
30 Bencoolen (4-star, 8.8/10 review score)
Strand Hotel (3-star, 7.9/10 review score)
Hotel Royal @ Queens (7.5/10 review score)
Conveniently, Singapore Art Museum is beside a few MRT stations which we will outline how to get to below!
Getting to Singapore Art Museum using the MRT
Step 1: Purchase an MRT ticket or pass.
Assuming that your hotel is sorted and that you have walked to the nearest station, it’s time to decide on the type of ticket you are going to use to get to Singapore Art Museum.
There are three types of tickets available in Singapore to use the MRT and bus network. From a practical perspective, the one that you choose really depends on how much you want to travel, and how long you are going to be in Singapore. Each type of ticket has its pros and cons!
Types of MRT Tickets in Singapore
- Single trip tickets
- Stored value cards
- Singapore Tourist Passes
You can read our complete guide on how to buy MRT tickets in Singapore to figure out everything about these three types of tickets.
In general, single trip tickets are the best option if you are only going to use the MRT a few times while in the city. Simply purchase these at a ticketing kiosk within the station.
When we were first figuring out how to get to Singapore Art Museum by MRT we didn’t use a single journey ticket. Instead, we used a stored-value card. The type of card we used is called an EZlink card. We bought the card, topped it up with cash and then used it to enter and exit each station. This is a popular choice with Singaporeans and ex-pats living in Singapore.
To gain more insight into tourist passes read our comprehensive guide. They are popular and cost-effective with tourists who plan on doing a lot of sightseeing over a 1-3 day period.
Step 2: Plan your trip to Bras Basah or Bencoolen Station.
Although there are many different stations that you can use to access Singapore Art Museum, the two most convenient ones are Bras Basah and Bencoolen Station.
Both of these stations are located on different MRT lines, which makes it quite easy to reach Singapore Art Museum by MRT.
Bras Basah Station is located on the Circle Line which is shown in orange colour on the MRT Map.
Bencoolen Station is a stop on the Downtown Line (shown in blue colour).
When you first arrive at the station make sure that you check the road map to know where you need to transfer lines to reach either one of these two stations. This will help you save time getting to Singapore Art Museum
Step 3: Take the MRT to Bras Basah or Bencoolen Station.
Take either the Circle Line to Bras Basah or the Downtown Line to Bencoolen.
Along the way, you can expect to hear verbal announcements on the train. These are designed to inform you of the next station coming up on the line.
Also, feel free to refer to the signs above the exit doors on each train.
When the train arrives at an adjacent station to Bras Basah or Bencoolen, get closer to the exit. You will alight at the next station.
Step 4: Alight at Bras Basah or Bencoolen and walk to Singapore Art Museum.
Get off the train at Bras Basah Station or Bencoolen Station on your way to Singapore Art Museum.
Double-check that you have collected all of your belongings before getting off of the train.
TAKE NOTE THAT BRAS BASAH is the closest station to the Singapore Art Museum. Therefore, if you don’t want to walk as far, this is the best option.
Walking from Bras Basah Station to Singapore Art Museum
Take Exit E to walk from Bras Basah Station to Singapore Art Museum. This will lead you right out onto Bras Basah Rd. You will be directly across from the Museum when you get out of the station. Simply cross the road and walk over to the entrance.
The walking distance from Bras Basah Station to Singapore Art Museum is about 200 meters and this should take you 2 minutes.
Walking from Bencoolen Station to Singapore Art Museum
Take Exit A or Exit B to walk from Bencoolen Station to Singapore Art Museum. This walk is slightly farther than from Bras Basah Station, but it is nothing to be concerned about.
The walking distance from Bras Basah Station to Singapore Art Museum is about 250 meters and this should take you 3-4 minutes.
Is it a wise idea to stay near the Singapore Art Museum while you are in the city?
Singapore Art Museum is located in a convenient, central location for sightseeing in Singapore. If you decide to book here you may not be in an extremely popular spot such as Marina Bay, but you will have direct access to the MRT and lots of hotels.
There are quite a few museums worth exploring in this area. Therefore, if you do like art and history this is a cool area to stay while you are in Singapore.
This area around Singapore Art Museum is also quite affordable in relation to Orchard and Marina Bay. Lots of 3-4 star properties here that are well priced. Some of the closest hotels relative to Singapore Art Museum are listed below for your convenience:
30 Bencoolen (4-star, 8.8/10 review score)
Strand Hotel (3-star, 7.9/10 review score)
Hotel Royal @ Queens (4-star, 7.5/10 review score)
Carlton Hotel Singapore (5-star, 8.8/10 review score)
Take note that we are not a direct partner of any of these properties. We are simply sharing these because they are geographically close to the Singapore Art Museum. As you can see from the review scores Carlton Hotel Singapore has the highest star rating and also the highest review score. This is an excellent property that you might want to consider looking into if you want to be close to the museum.
More questions about getting to the Singapore Art Museum?
We hope that this complete guide on how to get to Singapore Art Museum by MRT will make your trip fast, affordable and stress-free. Please don’t hesitate to send us an email if you require additional information about this Museum.
Also, take note that Bencoolen and Bras Basah are not the only two MRT stations that you can use to get to Singapore Art Museum. You can also walk from Esplanade or City Hall if you are not concerned about walking a bit farther!
If you are sightseeing in this area of Singapore then consider checking out some of the other museums and attractions in this area. For example, The Battlebox, National Museum of Singapore, Peranakan Museum and MINT Museum of Toys are all close. With the dense concentration of museums in this area, this is one of the best areas for creating a museum itinerary for the day.
It’s also possible to visit popular areas like Chinatown in Marina Bay very quickly using the MRT. Simply get on the MRT and you should be at your next destination in no time!