I must confess: until this week, I didn’t really know that there was a Changi Museum in Singapore. I had some dim recollection of there being a war memorial-type place associated with Changi Prison, I’d heard mention of a chapel or somesuch, but that was about it. The cab driver taking me there asked if I wanted to stop at the first chapel or the second (I suppose he meant the old or new location of the museum). I hadn’t a clue and told him to just drive.

As it turns out, the museum was easy to spot.

It’s an unusual place: a museum that’s also a memorial. The stark white walls remind me of countless memorials I’ve seen in Singapore and overseas, and upon stepping inside, there’s a wealth of information and context about World War Two and the Changi prisoner-of-war camp. Two golden rules prevail: speak quietly, if you must at all, and no photography, please. So the serene environment of the reconstructed chapel outside very much spills over into the museum as well.

In conjunction with Explore Singapore!, the museum is running The Great Changi Challenge, a 44-question quiz that takes you through the highlights of the museum.

They don’t call it a challenge for nothing! This quiz really makes you pay attention to the details in the wall displays and the audio tour. I thought at first that it would be one of those quizzes where the answers leap off the exhibit right at you, but there was a healthy mix of obvious and less-obvious questions.

• “Name the Japanese commander that Lt Gen Percival met to discuss surrender terms.” Easy-peasy.
• “What did the POWs use to replace worn-out undergarments?” Er …

Now that I’ve been out of school for years, I’m not a very good quiz-taker. I skipped some questions if I couldn’t find the answer after one try, and I was relatively distracted for other questions because my multi-tasking self tried to listen to the audio tour and look out for answers to different questions at the same time.

And then there were the exhibits to distract me, like the all-too-real dimensions of a Changi POW camp cell, measured out on the floor so you can stand in it and imagine having to share that claustrophobic space with 3 or 4 other prisoners.

Or the replicated Changi Murals, which probably look a lot cheerier here than they do in their original (and off-limits) location. They’re also the subject of an as-yet-unreleased short film by Boo Junfeng.

Or the Changi Chapel, the last stop for the Great Changi Challenge. For all that it’s open and exposed to the elements, there’s a certain stillness the moment one enters the chapel area.

Oh, what about the quiz then? It’s meant for anyone aged 10 and above, so I was gratified to know that my grade was decent enough to earn me a collar badge and a poster of the Changi Quilt. But it’s not the questions (or answers) I remember. It’s the stark white walls of the Museum, at once gentle yet compelling.

The Great Changi Challenge runs everyday, 2 – 4 pm, and costs $15 per participant, inclusive of audio guide & challenge kit.

Tags: explore singapore, National Heritage Board, Singapore, Changi Museum, Changi Murals, Changi