Chinatown Murals Singapore : Heritage Street Art Locations 2023
 |
Let's go Mural hunting in Chinatown!
These colourful murals captured the old images of Chinatown. It can be found mainly along the alleyways and streets of Chinatown Singapore.
Here are the locations of Chinatown Murals in Singapore and where to find them.
Chinatown Street Art Singapore Locations
Banda Street
We will start the journey at Banda Street. This is where the iconic Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is located. In addition, murals can be found at Chinatown Complex and the stairs leading to Kreta Ayer Community Center. In 2015, there was a project called Colouring Banda Street 2015, where murals were commissioned to brighten up these streets.
1 Welcome to our World (2015 / 2022)
Artist: Belinda Low
Location: Ground Floor Staircase in between Blk 4
and 5
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
|
| Welcome to Our World - Banda Street |
Samsui women are female immigrants known for their red headscarves. They worked mainly in construction and industrial jobs in the 1920-the 40s. They played prominent roles in building Singapore at the infancy stage.
Can you spot the Aranda Lee Kuan Yew and Vanda Kwa Geok Choo Orchids in the photos?
2 The Cool Dude (2015)
Artist: Belinda Low
Location:
2nd Floor Staircase in between Blk 4 and 5 BAnda ST
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
|
| The Cool Dude - Banda Street |
The Cool Dude is supposedly the male version of Samsui Women. The main jobs for them in the past are coolies (labourers) and fishermen. This mural is found at the same staircase on the 2nd Floor.
3 Bridge Over Calm Water (2015)
Location: 1st Floor Staircase between Blk 4 and 5- Bicycle Parking
Space
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
|
| Bridge Over Calm Water - Banda Street |
Bridge over calm water has a painting of nine Koi swimming in a lake to symbolise unity, prosperity and longevity. An old couple stands at the side to admire the swimming koi.
|
| Banda Street Mural |
It is one of two murals found in the same nook.
4 The Back Lane (2015)
Location: 1st Floor Staircase between Blk 4 and 5 Bandai St. Bicycle Parking
Space
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
 |
| The Back Lane Chinatown |
The Back Lane depicts a scene of the back lanes of old Chinatown. It looks like a family is preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Interestingly, the bicycle parked in front gives it a 3D pop.
5 Our Past, Present and Future (2015)
Location: BLK 5 Banda ST
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
 |
| Skyline |
This pair of murals are located next to each other. They signify the old and new Singapore. It may be hard to spot them as trees partially cover them.
 |
| Samsui Women |
6 Everyone is Kung Fu fighting
Location: 333 Kreta Ayer, next to Kreata Ayer People's Theatre
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
 |
| Everyone in Kung Fu Fighting |
This is another Mural from the Colouring Banda Street 2015 Era. It shows 2 men practising Taiji ala Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Style. The name of the Mural has a nice ring to it.
7 Little Guilin
Location: 333 Kreta Ayer, next to Kreta Ayer People's Theatre
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
 |
| Little Guilin Kreta Ayer |
Up the Staircases are 2 panels of a mural dedicated to Little Guilin at Bukit Batok. Little Guilin is a granite rock formation that resembles the rock formation in Guilin, Guangxi, China.
 |
| Little Guilin |
8 Labour of Love (2015)
Location: 333 Kreta Ayer, next to Kreta Ayer People's Theatre
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
 |
| Labour of Love |
A very long wall that depicts life in Chinatown. It is also part of the Colouring Banda Street 2015 series.
 |
| Chinatown Chess players |
9 Springtime in Banda
Artist: Belinda Low
Location: Bridge Between Blk 4 Banda Street and Kreta Ayer Heights
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
 |
| Springtime in Banda |
You have to head up to the 2nd floor, where the food stalls are, to find this
 |
| Springtime in Banda |
10 Painted Faces
Location: Kreta Ayer People's Theatre
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
This is not part of the Colouring Banda series. Located at Kreta Ayer People's Theatre, it has various Chinese opera masks on display. It's more of an installation than a mural.
 |
| Painted faces |
11 National Day (2022)
Artist: Belinda Low
Location: Blk 4 Banda Street facing Keong Saik Road
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
 |
| National Day |
 |
12 Singapore Scene
Location: 333 Kreta Ayer facing Keong Saik Road
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
There are 4 panels of murals here. The murals are painted in a more modern style depicting National Harmony.
13 The Tiger in the Bamboo Forest
Location: Chinatown Department Store next to Chinatown Complex
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
We are still determining if this was part of the Year of the Tiger decor, but it has been here since.
Location: Junction of Kreta Ayer and Neil Road ( 56 Neil Road)
 |
| 56 Neil Road |
Chinatown Complex
15 Prosper in Wealth , HUAT Ah!
Location: Chinatown Complex Ground Floor
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
A montage of murals at Chinatown Complex. These murals are painted on the yellow pillars and walls around the complex. Proser in Wealth, Huat Ah! is done by Temasek Polytechnic School of Design Students for SG 50 Government initiative by NEA's Our Hawker Center.
Spot Bruce Lee holding a durian(??), Fortune cat, Lion Dances and more
16 Singapore Hawker Heritage (2021)
Artist: BIBBY LOW
Location: Chinatown Complex Ground Floor Middle area
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
This mural is located in the middle of the Chinatown complex and pays tribute to the hawkers of yesterday at Chinatown.
17 The Path
Artist: Tom Civil
Location: Chinatown Complex (FaCING SMITH STREET)
NEAREST MRT: MAXWELL MRT
The Path is painted by Australian Artist Tom Civil and is part of 50 Bridges events. It shows the part of life and how we find ourselves within it.
SMITH Street
Moving to the next street, there are more murals to be discovered. Most of the murals were done by Yip Yew Cheng. The locations can be found here.
18 Letter Writer (2018)
Artist: Yip Yew Chong
Location: Smith Street near the junction to NEw Bridge Rood
NEAREST MRT : CHINATOWN
You will see the first of many murals by the talented Yip Yew Chong (YC) depicting life in nostalgic Chinatown. His murals spread all around Singapore, and he is one of the more accomplished mural painters in town.
Letter Writer shows a man plying his trade, writing letters for the illiterate, and writing CNY greetings that many still use to decorate their houses during this period. Pose with the Letter Writer by taking a seat opposite him. This mural is located next to The Path by Tom Civil
19 My Chinatown Home (2021)
Artist: Yip Yew Chong
Location: JUNCTION OF SMITH STREET AND SOUTH BRIDGE ROAD
NEAREST MRT : CHINATOWN
|
| My Chinatown Home |
The second mural by Yip Yew Chong on Smith Street depicts the artist's home in Sago lane featuring his mother in the mural.
|
| Spot the artist |
20 Detective Conan in Chinatown (2021)
Artist: Yip Yew Chong
Location: JUNCTION OF SMITH STREET AND SOUTH BRIDGE ROAD
NEAREST MRT : CHINATOWN
Detective Conan came to Chinatown to try our 'smelly durians. Detective Conan is a character in a Japanese detective manga series. We don't know the connection with Chinatown, but it is another mural by Yip Yew Chong.
TEMPLE STREET
21 MID AutuMN FESTIVAL
Artist: Yip Yew Chong
Location: ALLEY BETWEEN TEMPLE STREET AND PAGODA STREET ( BEHIND
LUCKY CHINATOWN)
NEAREST MRT : CHINATOWN
|
| Mid-Autumn Festival |
An old-school Mid-Autumn Festival celebration scene. Before battery-operated light lanterns, cellophane lanterns were the norm. The old-school lanterns were often bright and colourful.
|
22 CHINATOWN MARKET
Artist: Yip Yew Chong
Location: Alleyway between TEMPEL STREET AND PAGODA STREET (MIDDLE)
NEAREST MRT : CHINATOWN
|
| Chinatown Market |
This is one of the most extensive murals in Chinatown, spanning 3 storeys high and taking a whole side of a building. This is the second mural by Yip Yew Chong on Smith Street.
|
| Kopitiam |
Filled with intriguing details, it depicts life in Chinatown of yesteryears. You can pose with this by finding a plastic stool nearby and inserting yourself in the mural.
|
| Vegetable Sellers |
You would see fruit sellers, barbers plying their trades, a coffee shop scene and even a duck hawker.
|
| Duck Hawker |
Look up and see a person pouring tea with a huge teapot.
 |
| Source YC |
This is by far the most impressive mural in Chinatown.
23 CHINATOWN SCENE
Location: Alleyway between TEMPEL STREET AND PAGODA STREET (MIDDLE)
NEAREST MRT : CHINATOWN
Located in the same alley as Chinatown market is a scene of murals showing scene of Chinatown
This mural is sponsored by Nippon Paint
|
| Opera in Chinatown |
24 CANTONESE OPERA
Artist: Yip Yew Chong
Location: JUNCTION OF TEMPLE STREET AND SOUTH BRIDGE ROAD
NEAREST MRT : CHINATOWN
|
| Chinese Opera |
Cantonese Opera was once a popular entertainment in pre-TV days. From fancy costumes to painted faces, these wayang plays are probably the first 'musicals' to hit Singapore. While they may disappear from today's entertainment scene, their popularity is beautifully captured by Yip Yew Chong.
|
| Wayang |
MOHAMED ALI LANe
25 DReams of Chinatown-PAPER MASK AND PUPPET SELLER / THE WINDOW / LION DANCE HEAD MAKER / MAMAK
STORE
Artist: Yip Yew Chong
Location: SIDe WALL OF HOUSE 227 SOUTH BRIDGE RD ALONG MOHAMED ALI
LANE
NEAREST MRT : CHINATOWN
|
| Dreams of Chinatown |
There is a set of three different murals painted on the same street. On the top left is 'The Window', a scene depicting the Kadir family and the Lee family, owners of the Mamakshop and the lion dance head maker below them. These are all inspired by real people who once ply their trade in Chinatown.
|
| MamakShop |
|
| Paper Mask and Puppet Seller Yeo Ban Kok |
This mural is painted on the side of the Porcelain Hotel at 48 Mosque Street. It is a blue and white mural that resembles designs normally found on porcelain. It is another modern interpretation of Street Art in Chinatown.
DUXTON
27 Ikan Todak (2022)
Artist: Tobyato
Location: 38 Duxton Hill Entrance from Tg Pagar Road
Nearest MRT: MAXWELL MRT
Painted on the side of 38 Duxton Hill. This modern mural pays homage to a Singapore Malay tale of the battle of the local villagers and swordfish. It is located about 300m away from Buddha Tooth Relic.
.jpg)
No comments