If you have 2 hours or more with us,

• Take a leisurely stroll along the historic driveway and find out more about the background of the Malayan Campaign from the storyboards along the driveway. (15-20 minutes)
• Watch the documentary screened during your visit. (25 minutes)
• Intrigued by the history of the Ford factory and the restoration to its current condition? Set aside some time to find out more from the exhibition panels on how the site was changed over time. (5 minutes)
• Within the exhibition gallery, you will find many heart-rending anecdotes of people’s experiences that will touch you and draw you further into their lives during the Occupation. Look out for the following stories. (40-80 minutes)
  • If you are curious about the rationale behind Japanese ambitions in Southeast Asia and why the Japanese reacted negatively towards Chinese in Singapore, ‘Rise of a New Imperialism –The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere’ and ‘Resisting the Rising Sun’ will give you the context. (10 minutes)
  • Never seen the identity pass or ration coupons issued in Syonan? At the ‘Establishing New Order’ section, you will find many of them and also how the Japanese administration quickly established control over Syonan. Be sure to also view the following sections: ‘Sook Ching and Mass Screening’, ‘Internment of POWs’, and ‘Riding the Japanese Tiger’ to find out how different groups of people were treated by the Japanese. (30 minutes)
  • No idea what Nippon Seishin is? ‘Go-Nippon-Go’, ‘Festivals and Celebrations’, ‘Getting the News’ and ‘Back to School’, will explain how the occupying force tried to colonialize Singapore. Try picking up some basic Japanese on the spot with the help of ‘Learn Japanese’ posters that are on display. (20 minutes)
  • Heard of the place Endau? What do Endau, Singapore and Padi (rice) have in common? Uncover this lesser-known link between them and more at the ‘Grow More Food Campaign’ section. (10 minutes)
  • If you are keen to learn more about war criminals and the various trials that were held to prosecute them, more information is available at the section, ‘Trials of the War’. (10 minutes)
  • Take a moment to reflect on and ponder about the hardships of the war at our mirror display – ‘Taking History As A Lesson’, where poignant quotations from interviews with war survivors are presented in a unique manner. (10 minutes)
    
• Explore the ‘Syonan Garden’ and find out how these food crops were cleverly used for various purposes. (10-25 minutes)
• After your tour, test your knowledge of the Japanese Occupation with our ‘History in Numbers’ game at the lobby. Or, have a go at Syonan Race, Memories' very own WWII Snakes & Ladders game. (10 minutes)