5 Affordable CNY-Themed Adventures from $5

If you’re like me and the mundane nature of homemade red packet crafts and small talk with relatives you barely know has fallen short, then what you need is a day decked out with visits to these cultural hotspots, interactive exhibits and even a red packet scavenger hunt!

 

1) Go on a Red Packet Scavenger Hunt

Nothing says ‘atas’ like a specially designed red packet. So red packet gurus unite!

As part of the Museum Roundtable Lunar New Year Hongbao 2021 campaign, visitors can go on a scavenger hunt for specially designed red packets at over 32 participating museums and galleries until 19 February 2021!

All you have to do is scan the QR code inside the red packets for a chance to win a limited edition box set of all 32 unique red packet designs up for grabs! Did I mention that each QR code also contains a different CNY greeting GIF perfect for sending to your relatives?

So what’re you waiting for! Put on your best red packet scavenger hats and get going!

Date: 22 January to 19 February 2021

 

2) Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2021 – Fun For The Whole Family

If you’re itching for somewhere to bring your tots this CNY, look no further! It’s fun for the whole family at the Wan Qing Festival of Spring happening until 28 February 2021 at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall.

Your mini-me can try out exciting activities like the Children’s Lion Dance Workshop ($5/pax), or the Zodiac Animal Clay Painting ($5/pax) and even learn how to make fried nian gao!

Plus, adults can have a blast too! Parents can embark on the Heritage Trail ($5/pax) with their mini-me to relive Balestier’s best kept secrets or team up with their tots for the Festive Chinese Drums workshop ($5/pax) for a lesson on basic Chinese drumming techniques.

Families can also strike a pose in front of the Double Prosperity Festive Installation, which features two large ‘Foo Dou’ guardian lions standing majestically in front of the memorial hall.

General admission is free but fees will apply for individual workshops and activities. More information on the activities, activity prices and timings can be found here.

Date: 5 January to 28 February 2021

Address: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, 12 Tai Gin Road S(327874)

 

3) Learn about Chinese Calligraphy with thINK – Asian Civilisations Museum

Pronounced think-ink, visitors can enjoy a mindful moment at thINK: Chinese Calligraphy, Connoisseurship and Collecting at the Asian Civilisations Museum from now till 25 April 2021. Featuring historical artefacts from the Ming and Qing dynasty, thINK brings you into the life of the man who collected these objects.

Peace-seekers will enjoy the intimate, zen setting of the exhibit; a haven away from the usual hustle and bustle of CNY. Calligraphy fans can look forward to learning about the ways of the brush and reflect on how communication has changed over the decades.

Admission is free for Singaporean citizens and Permanent Residents.

At the end of the exhibit, be sure to share about your personal experience and reflections at thINK with the hashtag #thINKACM!

Date: 23 December 2020 to 25 April 2021

Address: Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Place, S(179555)

 

4) Take your family out for a drive-by exhibit at MOO MOO Park

Yes, you heard right. Brought to you by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC), MOO MOO Park is Asia’s first immersive drive-through exhibition! With a focus on Sustainable Development Goals, this exhibition’s combination of interactive technology and art is sure to have you saying ‘wah-seh’.

Some highlights include electric vehicles that double as 3D art installations, the cutest Ox selfie filters and even augmented reality murals powered by Spark AR Studio. At this Ox-inspired art and tech exhibition, enthusiasts finally have somewhere to nerd out with family and friends.

Tickets are priced at $5/pax (standard walk-in) with a maximum of 5 people in a group. Chauffeured drive-throughs are priced at $10/pax with a maximum of 2 pax per car. Students, NSF’s and seniors aged 55 and up can enjoy a 15% discount on their tickets by flashing their identification upon entry to the exhibition.

And if that isn’t enough, MOO MOO Park ticket holders can also enjoy a 10% discount when they dine at Kevin Khoo Bistro with just a flash of their ticket – the perfect end to a day if you ask me.

Tickets are available for sale here.

Date: 22 January to 28 March 2021

Address: Level 6 Carpark at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, 1 Straits Boulevard, S(018906)

 

5) Catch a CNY-themed play at W!LD RICE 

If museum hopping and drive-through exhibitions are not your cup of teh, then maybe you can appease your inner hipster by catching W!LD RICE’s CNY play of 2021: The Amazing Celestial Race showing from 19 February to 21 March 2021.

Directed by Glen Goei, featuring tummy-tickling script writer Dwayne Lau and catchy tracks by Julian Wong, this musical is inspired by the legendary competition at the heart of the Chinese Zodiac. Watch as they battle it out against all odds to become the only legend.

Known for their rambunctious musicals and astounding plays, W!LD RICE is the place to be if you’re in the mood for plentiful laughs, good music and a heartwarming message to bring home. It’s kid-friendly too, so bring your mini-me along for a good time!

Tickets range from $40 to $80 and are available for sale here.

Date: 19 February to 21 March 2021

Address: 107 North Bridge Road #04-08, Funan, S(179105)

 

Visit These ‘Huat-Worthy’ Adventures this CNY

Take time this CNY to go on a prosperous adventure with your loved ones. With an array of fantastical things to try, you’ll be able to sate your thirst for adventure with our smorgasbord of activity recommendations from across Singapore!

Check out our other must-have articles for CNY:

• All The Best CNY Snacks On Sale Right Now
• CNY Survival Cheat Sheet: How To Fend Off Nosy Relatives
• The Chinese New Year Edition Of Everything: Toys
• How To Get A Boy/Girlfriend Before Chinese New Year