Changi Chapel and Museum
Photo: Own work. — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Changi Chapel and Museum in Singapore honors the resilience of WWII prisoners of war and civilians interned in Changi Prison during the Japanese Occupation.
Planning your visit
Singapore fell to Japanese forces in February 1942 in what Churchill called the worst disaster in British military history, and around 50,000 Allied prisoners of war and civilians were interned at Changi.
The museum covers that internment: the conditions, the forced labour including the Burma-Siam railway, the ingenuity of prisoners in making tools, radios and medical equipment from nothing, and the sustaining role of faith and art. The Changi murals, painted by a bombardier in a prison chapel, are reproduced.
The replica chapel in the courtyard is modelled on those the prisoners built, and the collection includes objects donated by former internees and their families — letters, diaries, sketches, and a Morse code set concealed in a matchbox.
The museum was redeveloped and reopened in 2021 with a more personal, testimony-driven approach.
It sits near Changi Airport.
Bookable options include entry, sometimes combined with airport luggage storage for transit visitors. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is Changi Chapel and Museum?
Changi Chapel and Museum is in Singapore, Singapore. The map on this page marks its exact location.
Do I need to book Changi Chapel and Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
