How to Enjoy The National Museum with a Toddler

Don't bring the toddler along!!!


No, seriously, there was no way I could enjoy the exhibits in the Singapore National Museum properly with 2-year-9-month-old Sam turning the whole place into his own personal playground.

About the only time I had him under my control was when we were descending the stairs, hand in hand. The other times, he was running around the Film & Wayang exhibition room, touching every exhibit he could get his hands on & sending shrills of terror down my spine. The swinging pendulum art installation only held his attention for several minutes.

In the Singapore History Archives, I couldn't concentrate on my own audio guide, not when Sam was running ahead in the dark room, and then running back demanding to be brought out to the light where it was more interesting. I only made it as far as Raffles discovering Singapore before I gave up & left the room.

Hubby & in-laws all agreed the museum was worth the trip, esp. since we got in free, thanks to the 2009 sms initiative by the Tourism Board. And thank goodness I didn't have to pay for the ticket, cos it was a total waste of my time trying to entertain Sam in the big, empty, building (hubby was right - the Museum was about the only tourist attraction left of the 5 that would still have free tickets on Sunday).

After a mere half hour in the Museum, I gave up & brought Sam outside to the museum grounds, in a desparate attempt to keep him entertained & perhaps see the art installations outside. Well, it turned out to be a hot & sunny noon, I found only the "Seeds" installation after touring half the grounds, and Sam was entertained not by the garden/grass/flowers, but by the water cooler at the bottom of the escalator leading up to Fort Canning.

We must have spent nearly 10 min out there in the heat, while I drank water, then Sam pressed the button for me to drink water, I pressed for Sam to drink water, then Sam pressed for me to drink water, and so on and so on and so on.

I've never found a 45 min visit to a Museum so physically tiring! The Singapore National Museum is definitely not a place to bring toddlers!!!!!