Changi Chapel and Museum: Remembering Singapore's WWII Darkest Days

With Changi Murals, Arts, Tree, Cross and POW Artefects

Introduction

When people think of Changi, the first thing that comes to mind is our famous Changi Airport. But on 15 February 1942, Singapore came under a new master: Japan. The city was renamed Syonan-To, meaning "Light of the South." Life on the island changed dramatically. Many people feared Japanese brutality and suffered from a lack of food and other supplies. Changi gained prominence during World War II when the Japanese used Changi Prison — originally built by the British in 1936 — as a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp. Thousands of Allied soldiers were detained under harsh conditions and interned as POWs.

The Changi Chapel and Museum is a small but deeply moving museum in the eastern corner of Singapore that depicts the darkest days in Singapore's history. It is a tribute to those who fought for Singapore. Inside are remnants of Changi Gaol, photos, letters, and personal artefacts of the POWs — highlighting their imprisonment, suffering, and daily life, and how the human spirit triumphed through it all.

📋 Quick Facts

Address	1000 Upper Changi Road North, Singapore 507707
Opening hours	Tue–Sun, 9:30am – 5:30pm (last admission 5pm). Closed Mondays except Public Holidays.
Admission	Free for Singapore Citizens & PRs. Foreign adults: $9. Concession: $7. Children 6 & below: Free.
Payment	Cashless only (from 1 April 2025). PayNow, credit/debit cards accepted.
Audio guide	$8 per device (English only)
Guided tours	Free with admission (check schedule at Visitor Services)
Time needed	1.5–2 hours
Photography	Non-flash photography allowed

Changi Chapel and Museum

📖 A Brief History

During the Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945, the greater Changi area — all the way towards Changi Village and Changi Point — was transformed into a massive POW camp. More than 50,000 POWs are known to have been incarcerated at Changi, mostly British and Australian soldiers, along with Dutch, American, and local personnel.

The museum originally opened in 1988 beside Changi Prison, then moved to its current site in 2001. It closed for major redevelopment in 2018 and reopened on 19 May 2021 under the management of the National Museum of Singapore, with a new logo, eight exhibition zones, and 114 artefacts — 82 of them displayed for the first time.

🚌 How to Get There

By MRT + Bus (Fastest)

Take the Downtown Line (DT) to Upper Changi MRT Station (DT34).
Exit A, then take Bus 2 from the stop opposite SUTD (Stop ID: 96041).
Alight 7 stops later at Opposite Changi Chapel Museum (Stop ID: 97201) and cross the road.

Alternative Routes

From Tanah Merah MRT (EW4): Take Bus 2 towards Changi Village. Alight at Changi Chapel Museum stop (97209).
From Tampines MRT (EW2): Take Bus 29. Alight at the same stop.
From Simei / Changi: Bus 5 stops at Changi Women's Prison (10-minute walk).

By Car

Limited paid parking is available at the museum. There is no public parking in the immediate vicinity, so public transport or private hire is recommended.

🎟️ Admission & Discounts

Category	Price
Singapore Citizens & PRs	Free (present NRIC)
Foreign Adults	$9
Concession (Seniors 60+, Students, PWDs)	$7
Children 6 & below (all nationalities)	Free
Family Package (5 pax, max 3 adults)	$27

Discounts: Present a valid ticket stub from the National Museum of Singapore or Reflections at Bukit Chandu within 3 months to enjoy $2 off admission. Students and staff of Singapore government schools, polytechnics, and universities (NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, SIT, SUSS, NIE) enter free regardless of nationality.

🏛️ The Eight Exhibition Zones

The revamped museum is organised into eight sequential zones that weave together artefacts, personal accounts, and multimedia. The experience is immersive and emotionally demanding — allow at least 1.5 hours.

Zone 1: Changi Fortress

Sets the scene for how Changi developed from mangrove swamp and rainforest into a military cantonment. You will see maps, early photographs, and a projection show that introduces the museum's narrative.

Zone 2: Fallen Fortress

Covers the fall of Singapore — the British surrender on 15 February 1942, the "Nipponisation" campaign (Japan's efforts to impose Japanese language and culture on the local population), and the march of Allied troops into captivity.

Zone 3: The Interned

Spotlights the personal stories of the men, women, and children interned in Changi. Through letters, diaries, and photographs, visitors learn who these people were before the war — teachers, engineers, nurses, clerks — and how their lives were upended.

Zone 4: Life as a POW

A recreated Changi Gaol cell with an authentic prison door from the 1930s lets visitors grasp the cramped, claustrophobic conditions. Historical recordings of conversations between internees play in the background. Displays cover daily routines, food rations, disease, and the ever-present threat of transfer to the Thai-Burma "Death Railway."

Changi Prison door from the 1930s

Zone 5: Resilience & Creativity

Perhaps the most uplifting zone. It showcases how internees used art, music, theatre, and craft to sustain their will to live. The Kokonut Grove — an entertainment corner where POWs staged drama and variety shows — is remembered here. There are also the Changi quilts: embroidered patchwork made by women internees, with each square containing a secret message or name. Today only three quilts survive: the Australian Quilt, the British Quilt, and the Japanese Quilt. The museum also displays 15 original artworks by Angela Bateman, a civilian internee who found inspiration in art during the darkest days of her life.

Zone 6: End of War

Covers the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan's surrender, and the immediate aftermath. A highlight is an original 15th-century samurai sword presented to a POW by a Japanese officer at the end of the war.

Zone 7: Liberation

Marks the British reoccupation of Singapore after Japan's surrender on 15 August 1945. On display is a letter from King George VI addressed to the captives. Artefacts include a samurai sword presented to a POW and personal items returned after liberation.

Zone 8: Legacies

The final zone features a "living" database of over 50,000 POWs and civilian internees. Visitors can look up names and stories on interactive screens. You are also invited to contribute any memories you have of internees to add to this growing archive.

Replica Chapel

⛪ The Replica Chapel & The Changi Cross

The replica chapel is modelled after St. George's Church, one of the many chapels built by POWs during the Occupation. It was constructed in 1988 and moved to its present location in 2001. The chapel features a glass and timber canopy that provides shade while retaining the open-air atmosphere reminiscent of the original WWII chapels.

On the altar sits the Changi Cross — one of the few original items in the museum. It was fashioned from the casing of a 4.5-inch howitzer shell and strips of brass from camp workshops. Designed by Reverend Eric Cordingly and made by Staff Sergeant Harry Stogden (who never made it home), the cross is engraved with the badges of the four regiments that made up the congregation of St. George's POW Church. It has been loaned on a permanent basis by Reverend Cordingly's family.

🎨 The Changi Murals

A series of five biblical murals were painted by Stanley Warren, a bombardier of the 15th Field Regiment Royal Artillery, on the walls of the former St. Luke's Chapel at Roberts Barracks. The murals are titled The Last Supper, The Nativity, The Ascension, St. Luke in Prison, and The Crucifixion. The originals are at Roberts Barracks (now part of Changi Air Base), which is not open to the public. The museum displays replicas, with an interactive screen explaining their significance and Warren's biography.

The Changi Murals

✏️ Art & Sketches

Among the most poignant exhibits is Two Malarias with a Cholera — a sketch by Ray Parkin depicting the hardship endured while building the Thai-Burma Railway, also known as the "Death Railway," where thousands of POWs and civilians died. Many POWs were transferred from Changi to other parts of Southeast Asia to work on this brutal project. [Note: this exhibit may no longer be in the revamped gallery. Two Malarias with a Cholera was the emblem of the museum.]

Two Malarias with a Cholera by Ray Parkin

🌳 The Changi Tree & Hopea Sangal

Changi probably got its name from a tree called Hopea sangal, known locally as Chengal Pasir or Chengal Mata Kuching. Once common in the area, this valued hardwood was believed to be extinct until a surviving tree was discovered in 2002. For 150 years, that tree withstood the forces of nature, witnessed the tragedies of World War II, and saw the birth of the nation — only to be illegally cut down by developers in November 2002, just months after its discovery.

Fortunately, seeds were collected before the felling. Some seedlings were planted outside the museum, producing a new Hopea sangal. A sapling was also presented to the Singapore Zoo, where you can find it outside the entrance at Mandai. This Hopea sangal at the museum is one of the only ones left in Changi.

Changi tree (Sindora wallichii)

Do not confuse Hopea sangal with the tall Changi tree (Sindora wallichii), which was blown down by the British in February 1942 who feared it could be easily spotted by the Japanese. At 50 metres (164 ft) tall, it towered above everything else, making it a convenient landmark for passing ships. A new Changi tree has since been planted at the museum driveway to symbolise the renewal of Changi in the wake of World War II and Singapore's optimism for the future.

At the entrance of the museum you can also find a row of hibiscus trees. Due to lack of food and vitamins, the POWs ate hibiscus leaves that they found along roadsides, as the plant is high in vitamin C. It was also used as treatment for scabies, a common disease among POWs. They also ate beetles and other insects for protein. Imagine common plants as a source of vitamins — and we know hibiscus is edible and good for making tea.

🏰 Nearby: Johore Battery & Changi Beach

Johore Battery

Not far from the museum along Cosford Road sits a replica of one of the massive 15-inch guns of the Johore Battery — part of the British coastal defence network built in the 1930s. The guns were positioned to stop enemy ships entering the Straits of Johore, but when the Japanese invaded from the north through the Malay Peninsula, two guns were turned around and fired inland for the very first time. There is also a fenced-up underground bunker next to the gun. Cosford Road is now lined with coconut trees and laid-back village-style restaurants. Changi was famous for coconut plantations in the 1800s.

Johore Battery 15-inch gun replica along Cosford Road

Changi Beach Sook Ching Memorial

At Changi Beach, east of Changi Point near Nicol Drive, there is a plaque commemorating the Sook Ching massacre — the systematic extermination of "anti-Japanese" Chinese civilians by the Japanese in February 1942. Thousands were rounded up and killed at various sites across Singapore.

Changi Beach — site of the Sook Ching massacre

Selarang Barracks

About a 5-minute walk to the right of the museum lies Selarang Barracks, still an operational army camp. You cannot enter, but you can view it from the outside. For a better view, take Bus 2 from the stop opposite the museum towards Changi Village — it is a double-decker, so sit on the upper deck.

Punggol Point Sook Ching Memorial

Another Sook Ching massacre took place at Punggol Point, where hundreds of civilians — including those rounded up during house-to-house searches along Upper Serangoon Road — were killed on 28 February 1942. A plaque stands at Punggol Jetty describing this horrific event.

🗺️ Related WWII Sites in Singapore

If you are interested in Singapore's wartime history, consider visiting these related sites:

🎯 Practical Tips

Book online: While walk-ins are accepted, booking via the official website guarantees entry during busy periods.
Audio guide: At $8, it is worth it for the depth of context, though the signage is already excellent. Available in English only.
Guided tours: Free with admission at scheduled times (usually weekends). Check at Visitor Services upon arrival.
Photography: Non-flash photography is now allowed inside.
Accessibility: The museum is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Limited manual wheelchairs are available.
Exhibit captions: Available in English, Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and Japanese via a mobile interactive platform.
Combine with Changi Village: The museum pairs well with a visit to Changi Village, Changi Point Ferry Terminal (for Pulau Ubin), or Changi Beach for a half-day itinerary.
Bark Cafe: Still operating next to the museum, open daily 11am–11pm, if you need a meal or coffee after your visit.
Every 15 February at 6:10pm: A siren is sounded islandwide to remember Singapore's darkest day — the moment of surrender.

🌏 Why Japan Invaded

By the turn of the 20th century, Japan had expanded its power in Asia by conquering Taiwan and South Korea. In the 1930s it invaded China. Its next target was Southeast Asia. The Japanese aimed to form a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere that would supply Japan with raw materials — oil, tin, and rubber — needed for their domestic economy and war efforts. In their propaganda, the Japanese positioned themselves as liberators freeing Asia from colonial masters. The reality was far more brutal.

The Japanese attack on Singapore began with a diversionary assault on Pulau Ubin on 7 February 1942. On the nights of 8 and 9 February, three Japanese divisions crossed the Straits of Johore. On 13 February, Lt. Gen. Yamashita ordered a two-pronged assault on the 45 km defence perimeter. The British, Australian, Indian, and Malay troops, commanded by Lt. Gen. Arthur Percival, were ill-prepared for the ferocious onslaught. Within a week, on 15 February 1942, Singapore fell.

A Japanese map of Singapore, shown below, was published by the Japanese newspaper Tokyo Nichinichi Shimbunsha on the eve of the invasion of Singapore. It depicts military infrastructure around Singapore such as airfields and naval base, gun placements, and offshore minefields. Although not wholly accurate, it conveyed to the Japanese public the idea that Japan was conquering an impregnable fortress.

Site	What to See	Nearest MRT
Old Ford Factory	The actual site of the British surrender on 15 Feb 1942. Exhibition: "Surviving the Japanese Occupation: War and its Legacies."	Beauty World (DT5)
Battle Box, Fort Canning	Underground command centre where Percival's surrender decision was made at 9:30am on 15 Feb 1942.	Fort Canning (DT20)
Kranji War Memorial	Over 5,000 graves and memorial walls with 24,000+ names of Allied personnel whose bodies were never found.	Kranji (NS7)
Reflections at Bukit Chandu	Commemorates the Malay Regiment's last stand at Opium Hill. Recently revamped WWII interpretive centre.	Pasir Panjang (CC26)
Fort Siloso, Sentosa	Coastal defence guns, underground tunnels, battery command post, and a Surrender Chamber reenactment.	HarbourFront (NE1/CC29) + Sentosa Express
Syonan Chureito, Bukit Batok	WWII memorial site along the steps to Bukit Batok Transmission Tower. Giant "book" monument tells the history.	Bukit Gombak (NS3)
MacRitchie Reservoir	Grave of Major-General Lim Bo Seng, Force 136 hero who died in Japanese captivity in 1944.	Caldecott (CC17/TE9)
Tiong Bahru Air Raid Shelter	Underground shelter with storyboards. Accessible via monthly guided walks arranged by a community centre.	Tiong Bahru (EW17)

Japanese Map of Singapore

For more on Singapore's WWII history, explore our guide to Fort Canning Park.

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