Changi, Singapore

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Changi Prison was used by the Japanese Army to imprison Allied POW’s and some civilians droning World War II. The site was a scene on unimaginable brutality from 1942 to 1945. Torture and murder were routine and many local Chinese civilians were executed before they could even get here. The original prison has been broken up for other purposes in this land sparse city –state. Parts of the original prison serve as part of a new working prison, the adjacent army camp and are featured in museums in the UK, Australia & New Zealand. The museum still incorporates original artefacts and features of the POW camp along with replicas of the famous murals drawn by prisoners. The original murals are still preserved in the army camp next door (no public access).

Many of the displays are photographs and personal items that are testimony to the brutality of the Japanese Army and the unconquerable spirit of the victims. They tell the story of their ordeal through actually letters and diaries written at the time. The centrepiece of the museum is a full size replica of the Chapel built by the prisoners during their internment. It is a touching and sometimes chilling reminder of what happened to Singapore during its occupation. There are also actual chains, torture instruments and a cell door to allow visitors to better understand the true extent of the suffering of the prisoners.

Quiet is requested as this is a place of worship and remembrance. Services are held on Sundays in the outside courtyard/new chapel at 9:30am & 5:30pm. Photos are not allowed, but you are able to use any pictures from their website listed below. A photo of the written permission to do so is contained in a travelogue on this page.

Donations can be made at several points within the museum and aid in the upkeep of the museum.

They are open every day of the year from 9:30am to 5pm and admission is free. last admission at 4.30pm.

Changi War Muesum is a muesum not to be forgotten on your trip to Singapore. It is a memorial site dedicated to those who fought in World War Two and the suffering that they endured. Many of the stories that you will hear will be based on the experiences from the Prisoner of War men who were imprisioned in Changi. To view this mueseum is free but it does cost if you wish to have a guided tour. It is open every day till around 5pm and is a must for anybody who has an interest in the war from 1939-1945.

Further information can be found on the Changi War Muesum's website which is a great site that gives you a layout of the muesum and where to find places of interest.

If you go to Changi Village, don't forget to eat the famous nasi lemak (coconut rice) from the food centre. In any case, what you'll see at Changi is a Singapore from the olden days where commercialisation wasn't so widespread or invasive. Low housing, slower pace of life. Very different from the city area.

Go to the Changi Chapel and Museum. The Chapel is housed within the open-air courtyard of the Museum and built by Changi Prison inmates during WWII Japanese Occupation.

The museum showcases letters, photographs etc of more than 50,000 prisoners during the Japanese Occupation. Opens from 9.30am-4.30pm. Admission free.

The Changi Chapel and Museum is a replica of a chapel built by those imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II. The museum is free. There are exhibits about the occupation. There is a mention of the use of postcards and hidden messages which were retrieved by tearing apart the postcard. You can reach the museum by taking a bus (Bus 2, museum is on the right after passing Changi Women’s Prison) from the Tanah Merah MRT station.

Nearby is the Changi Village area. It is rumored that this area is haunted! If you are from Singapore and disagree, e-mail me and let me know! Someone from Singapore told me this.

The Changi Museum is located near the Changi Prison. It is dedicated to the Prisoners of War (POW) and civilian internees who were incarcerated in Singapore during World War II.

The museum inspires visitors with stories of courage and sacrifice that occurred during those emotional scars of the war years.

Admissio is free of charge.

Opens daily from 9.30am to 5pm.

During WW II, after the Japanese had invaded Singapore, many Australians, British, Singaporeans and others were imprisoned at Changi Prison. These people lived under concentration camp conditions. Many died building the death railway from Thailand to Burma. The real prison, has sadly been torn down (another example of how Singapore mows down history). Various parts of the prison have been saved and are in the museum-the others have been sent to Australia-where they are building a museum.

Admission is free. Not sure if the guided tours are free or if you have to pay a little something. This is a very interesting museum-you will learn about how these women and men survived during these hard times.

There is a nice cafe on the grounds of this museum.

The Johore battery is nearby-maybe a 20-30 min walk from the museum or a quick drive.

In 1936, the British built Changi Prison hold 450 prisoners. In February 1942, the Japanese made 3,500 civilians, men, women and children walk to the prison to commence an internment from which many would not return. The men made the journey first, and when the women and children arrived, they were kept segregated. Only on rare occasions did the Japanese allow men, women and children to meet. In 1944 all the surviving internees were moved to Sime Road Camp to make room for POWs from Changi and Selarang. At Sime Road, the conditions were so bad that many more did not live to see liberation. On 5th September 1945, the relieving 5th Indian Division arrived outside the prison to find some 17,000 former POWs waiting for them.