Changi Chapel & Museum

On Friday afternoon, I had a sudden inspiration to trek all the way to Changi, which was over an hour away by MRT and bus, to visit the historic Changi Chapel and Museum on the site of the former Changi Prison where over 80,000 Prisoners of War and some civilians were held during the Japanese Occupation. Apart from people from Singapore and Malaysia, many of the PoWs were from Britain and Australia. The chapel itself was a replica, and the museum featured information about their living conditions.

Truth be told, I didn't really learn anything new, but I was struck by how the performing arts flourished among the internees as a distraction and outlet from their harsh reality. The internees even set up a Changi University where subject matter experts shared their knowledge and skills. Apart from the informational exhibits, the museum also featured replicas of five murals painted by internee Stanley Warren.Read more