The best things to do in Singapore this week: Feb 14 to Feb 22

History buffs and art lovers will find Singapore hopping with buzzy events this week. If your definition of Valentine’s Day leans toward the unconventional, look no further than these plays, exhibits and tours. Here are the best things to do in Singapore this week. 

Get your vogue on at iWan Studio

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Toss that social media envy aside and take your own fantastical photos at Singapore’s latest – and largest – selfie studio. Sprawling over a massive 6,000 square feet, this self-photo studio offers your pick of over 200 outfits and 100 photogenic corners to manifest the snap of your dreams. With 11 zones featuring 20 themes like Alice in Wonderland and Space Odyssey, you’ll have no end of possibilities for a photographic masterpiece. 

iWan Studio is located at 12 Aljunied Rd, 05-01 KH Plaza @ Aljunied, Singapore 389801, p. +65 9622 3715. Open daily 11am-10pm. Admission is free for children under six, half price for children aged six to 12, and from $29.90 for adults.  

The Non Season: A spectacular convergence of art and fashion 

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What better way to celebrate fashion than paying homage to Singapore’s most fashionable street, Orchard Road? A public art and fashion activation by creative collective Hyphen BB, The Non Season brings together over 20 Singapore-based artists and designers, including renowned names like Ashley Yeo and Sabrina Goh.

Celebrating Orchard Road’s rich history, the artists will deck the Design Orchard building with striking installations and mixed media works. You can also look forward to exclusive fashion collections from brands like Ans.ein and Wet Tee Shirt, along with live performances and workshops.

The Non Season runs from Feb 17 to April 10, 2022, 11am-9pm, at Design Orchard 250 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238905. 

Take a time machine to the battle for Singapore 

The National Heritage Board’s annual Battle for Singapore returns to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore. Travel back in time to 1942 and witness Singapore’s fall to the Japanese in the largest British surrender in history.

Step into World War II with a programme line-up of over 70 tour runs, including an exploration of the Former Station Headquarters of Royal Air Force Seletar at 179 Piccadilly, and an uncovering of Dempsey Hill’s surprising military past. 

Battle for Singapore runs from Feb 12 to March 6, 2022 at various locations across Singapore. Tickets are priced from $5. 

Miss Julie: A Tale of Sex, Power, and Privilege in Post-War Singapore 

Presented by the Singapore Repertory Theatre, Miss Julie kicks off Singapore’s first multinational creative collaboration since Covid-19 began. Follow protagonists John, his girlfriend Christine, and their boss’ daughter Miss Julie in a dangerous tangle of desire, power and manipulation.

This sharp play also explores issues of privilege, structural inequality, and forbidden relationships following the fall of the British Empire and rising Asian identity. Check out our review here. 

Miss Julie runs from Jan 25 to Feb 22, 2022 at the KC Arts Centre, 20 Merbau Rd, Singapore 239035. Tickets are priced from $45 to $70.

The world is different at Radical Curiosity: In the Orbit of Buckminster Fuller

Head to ArtScience Museum to delve into the dazzling mind of inventor and visionary, Buckminster Fuller (1885 – 1983). Defying classification, Fuller made his name in disciplines as broad as art, architecture, design, engineering, metaphysics, mathematics and education.

A true visionary, he foresaw countless global crises during his lifetime and strove to help the world function at full capacity without inflicting harm through his art and science. Get inspired by his many innovations at this intriguing exhibition. 

Radical Curiosity: In the Orbit of Buckminster Fuller runs from Jan 22 to July 10, 2022, 10am-7pm, at ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands Singapore, 6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974, p. +65 6688 8888. Tickets are priced from $12 to $16 for Singapore residents. 

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

Newly launched lifestyle brand The Reloved Collective is putting responsible consumerism at the forefront this February. With the launch of its physical store, the brand is winning hearts with a month-long series of pop-up craft workshops, held every Sunday.

Transform empty liquor bottles into artistic bottle lamps with Shawn Lourdusamy of Project Itchy Hands; upcycle shredded plastic, plant vines, and metal wire in a Japanese SAORI weaving workshop with textile artist Natalia Tan; or make soap from coffee grinds and natural oils with YNG. With so many activities, you can spark that new-item joy sustainably with vintage and second-hand goods too.

The Reloved Collective’s Workshop Series runs from Feb 6 to Feb 27 (every Sunday) at 333 Kreta Ayer Rd, 02-27, Singapore 080333. Workshops are priced at $180 for two pax (Upcycled Lamp Making), $96 for a group booking of two to four pax (SAORI Weaving) and $100 for two pax (Coffee Grinds Soap Making). Sign up online here. 

Take a contemplative walk around Telok Ayer

Bringing together art, food, music and architecture, the buzzy hotspot that we know as Telok Ayer today has a storied history. This week, join DOIT.SG X Secretive Thing on re:walk – a series of reflections and meanderings.

In the first edition of this walking journey, audiences are transported back in time as they listen and ponder upon short vignettes from the likes of Timothy Nga (actor), mm_mmatt (musician), Lim Chin Huat (former Artistic Director of ECNAD studios), and more. You’ll discover the hidden stories behind the familiar shop houses, back alleys, and temples of Telok Ayer.

re:walk Telok Ayer runs from Feb 12 to Feb 17, 2022. Tickets are priced from $30.41 via Eventbrite. 

Experience Japan through your screen

We might not be able to take our long-awaited trip to Japan, but your wanderlust doesn’t have to be constrained. Holiday from the comfort of your home with this year’s virtual edition of Japan Fair 2022, organised by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).

With sake brewery tours tours, craft workshops, and livestreams galore, you can expect quite the scenic getaway. Wander through the Ritsurin Garden, bask in the beauty of Japan’s cherry blossoms, or catch the action live through a Facebook broadcast of the country’s top destinations and local festivals.

Japan Fair 2022 runs from Jan 28 to March 13, 2022. 

Pause and smell the flowers of spring

Take your Instagram to the next level as you usher in spring at Gardens by the Bay. A picturesque day awaits at its latest Lunar New Year-themed installation, dubbed Dahlia Dreams for its dreamy spread of over 2,000 blossoming dahlias. Highlights include the red-and-gold Prosperity Bags, Spring Fragrances and The Four Gentlemen paintings.

For the best view in the house, head to the Chinese Pavilion and soak up the vast beauty of the flora. The cherry on top? By evening time, you can catch the larger-than-life lantern light-up, part of River Hongbao’s display!

Dahlia Dreams runs from Jan 14 to Feb 20, 2022 at Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953, p. +65 6420 6848. Tickets to the Flower Dome are priced from $12.

This article was first published in City Nomads.