volunteer tour guide singapore

Guided Tours by Volunteers

• Guided Tours

Our volunteers conduct different tours each weekend (held on Saturdays, except on the 5th Saturday of the month). These walking tours are free so pick one and bring your family and friends for a fun and educational day out! Please note that we manage the group size in order to ensure that the sessions are conducive for all to learn and experience. Registration for all session begin 15-minute prior.

Our Education Branch at the Singapore Botanic Gardens also offers a large variety of tours and educational workshops. These programmes are designed to promote nature awareness and to bring out the ‘green thumb’ in people! For a list of tours and programmes, please visit us here.

Please refer to our Events  listings for most up-to-date schedules for our activities. 

Our Other Websites

Volunteer Guides (Eco Tour)

• OPPORTUNITY DETAIL

Volunteer Guides (Eco Tour) By Friends of SDC

Share your passion in building a sustainable Singapore and show others how they can contribute too.

Conduct the One Planet, One Home Eco Tour which draws attention to eco-sustainability issues and how we can play a role in building a sustainable future for Singapore 

We are Recruiting Now! 

Training is available in May 2023

• Conservation and Nature
• GALLERY PHOTO
• SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Conduct the One Planet, One Home Eco Tour which draws attention to eco-sustainability issues and how we can play a role in building a sustainable future for Singapore

The schedule for this tour is as follows: 

• Every Saturdays

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• CAUSES Community Conservation and Nature Education Families Youth

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Museum Volunteers

About MV recruitment in general

Who are the MVs?

MV is an informal group of trained volunteer guides who give free guided tours at the NHB museums and heritage institutions. We have about 200  MVs from different nationalities, races, age groups and professions. As almost all MVs work full-time, we  guide on weekends (and occasionally on weekday evenings.) The MVs also conduct volunteer guide training and assist in various NHB programmes.

At which museums do MVs guide? 

MVs guide at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), the Peranakan Museum (TPM), The National Museum of Singapore (NMS), the Singapore Art Museum (SAM)and 8Q, and the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH). Some MVs also guide at Singapore Biennale, Heritage Trails, and Preservation of Monuments Board tours.

How can I join the Museum Volunteers as a volunteer guide?

Volunteers need to undergo several months of training before qualifying as guides for a particular museum under the National Heritage Board.

Training for Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) is currently ongoing and we are recruiting for National Museum Singapore (NMS), Malay Heritage Centre (MHC).

The frequency of recruitment and training is determined by the number of existing guides and the number of scheduled tour slots at the museums. We will recruit when we foresee a shortage of guides.  Training sessions for guiding at each museum could be conducted once every 2 -3 years. 

How can I be a member of the MVs?

The Museum Volunteers is not a social group. The group represents active, weekend volunteer guides who have undergone extensive training to conduct scheduled or special tours at the various National Heritage Board (NHB) museums.

There is currently no annual membership fee for joining the MV group.

How do I apply to be trained and to be a member of MV?

When we have a recruitment drive, an announcement will be posted on this website and NHB’s website inviting applicants to submit an application form.

In addition, those who have previously indicated interest via an email to museumvolsingapore(at)gmail.com will be alerted to the recruitment. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview.

What kind of volunteers are you looking for?

You must first and foremost be interested in the arts, history and culture as well as possess strong communication and public speaking skills, in order to best share your knowledge with the public. You must be able to commit the time and effort to the training as well as provide volunteer tours at least once a month for 24 times over 2 years upon completion of training.

All MV tours are conducted in English and you must have a strong command of the language. 

What are the benefits of being an MV?

Free access to the major NHB museums, one free guest pass for each MV for each museum visit, and discounts at selected food and beverage establishments at the museums.

There are many MVs who have been guiding at the various museums for more than ten years, sustained by friendship and camaraderie with like-minded individuals who enjoy the arts and history of Asia. These intangibles are the main benefits of being an active museum volunteer guide.

What will be covered during the training?

The training course prepares volunteers to guide at one of the NHB museums or heritage institutions and generally lasts for several months. 

Topics covered could include:

SAM /8Q: Western Art, Chinese Art, Southeast Asian Art, art history and various art forms. 

NMS: Singapore History and various aspects related to the Living Galleries on Singapore food, fashion, photography and film.

ACM: Asian history, religions, material culture like ceramics, symbolism, etc.

TPM:  various aspects of Peranakan culture and artifacts including Peranakan wedding, clothes, ceramics, jewellery, furniture, beadwork, embroidery, batik, religious items, etc.

SYSNMH: history of the Chinese Revolution, Dr. Sun's revolutionary activities in Nanyang and local supporters' contributions to the Revolution.

Details will focus on the various museums’ permanent collections. Training will not be exhaustive and you are expected to read and research beyond what is presented through lectures.

What is the time commitment required for the training courses?

Trainees need to be present at all the training sessions usually held on Saturday afternoons from 1pm to 6pm. Lectures may sometimes be held on weekday evenings or Sundays to accommodate lecturers’ schedule.  Additional time will be required for further reading and research for the preparation of several gallery papers and a final tour paper.

Will the lectures be enough to prepare me to guide?

Beyond lectures, MVs attend curator walkthroughs and may need to do additional research when preparing to guide at exhibitions at the various museums.

If I have a degree in fine arts / arts history / museum studies/ Asian history do I still need to undergo the training?

Yes, it is to familiarise yourself with the museum and its exhibits.

I am a student and want to volunteer during the vacation period only / I want to be an intern at a museum / I want to learn and volunteer, is this possible?  

As training lasts for several months depending on the museum, it is not suitable for students on vacation or people seeking short-term volunteer openings. We are seeking volunteers who can commit to training and to guiding with us for at least a year. This calls for a developed and enduring interest in the arts and heritage.

Having said that, all the museums welcome your assistance.  All students (including those at university level) should contact the museums directly to inquire about volunteer opportunities.

The museum websites are as follows:

Asian Civilisations Museum  - http://www.acm.org.sg

Peranakan Museum - http://www.peranakanmuseum.org.sg

National Museum of Singapore - http://www.nationalmuseum.sg

Singapore Art Museum - http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg  

Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall - http://www.sysnmh.org.sg

I don’t want to guide, but I want to volunteer at the museums, who can I contact?

Please refer to the websites listed above or call the museums. 

What’s the difference between MV and the Friends of the Museums (FOM)?

The MV group provides weekend tours whereas FOM provides weekday tours.

MV and FOM are distinct and independent of each other.  FOM has its own membership scheme and members’ activities. You can find out more about FOM at www.fom.sg

Who do I contact for more information?

Please email   [email protected]    

Frequently Asked Questions

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Explore various career, scholarship and internship opportunities with us.

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Be part of our family of docents and volunteers, and join us in championing our heritage.

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Our Volunteers

The National Heritage Board (NHB)'s family of docents and volunteers are the soul of our museums and heritage institutions. Their contributions from bringing the stories behind our artefacts to life to conducting heritage trails and tours at Singapore’s National Monuments and Sites, have been significant in our mission to safeguard and promote Singapore’s heritage.

Over the years, NHB's family of volunteers and docents have grown, reflecting the growing interest in our heritage. We have our dedicated docent guides like Friends of the Museums (FOM) and Museum Volunteers (MV) , taking time off their busy schedule to relentlessly guide on weekdays and weekends respectively. Our distinct Mandarin Docents (MD) and Mandarin Guides (MG)  are committed to serving Chinese-speaking visitors by conducting tours in Mandarin and dialects. Then there are our Japanese Docents (JD) , dedicated to not just guiding in Japanese but also engaging the growing Japanese Community through blogs and radio.

Our family of volunteers also includes the enthusiastic Museum Hosts who are our ambassadors onsite, enriching visitor experiences at our institutions. Volunteers from the Preservation of Sites and Monuments (PSM) and various community groups regularly contribute their valuable time and energy to NHB’s programmes and institutions. They have all become our voices and faces, significantly contributing to the Heritage scene in Singapore.

For enquiries regarding NHB's Volunteer Engagement programmes and recruitment and other volunteer groups (not listed below) please e-mail [email protected] .

For enquiries regarding the Friends of the Museums, Singapore , please contact: 6337 3685 or e-mail [email protected] . For enquiries regarding the Museum Volunteers (MV) , please e-mail [email protected] For enquiries regarding the Mandarin Docents (National Museum of Singapore) , please e-mail [email protected]

Be a Heritage Champion for Heritage Activation Nodes

The National Heritage Board is rolling out an exciting new initiative, the Heritage Activation Nodes (HAN) , that would offer a myriad of volunteering opportunities at our respective HAN neighbourhoods.

Email us at [email protected] to find out more about volunteering for HAN !

Read more about Our Volunteers

Discover more about our heritage volunteers through stories from our heritage resource portal, Roots.sg .

Our Volunteers in the News

The Straits Times May 17 2015

FRIENDS OF THE MUSEUMS HELP TELL THE SINGAPORE STORY

Head of docent group out to get more Singaporeans to be volunteer guides.

When Ms Elaine Cheong joined the Friends of the Museums (FOM) in 1998, she was one of the only five Singaporean women in a batch of 80 new volunteers. The others attending a nine-month-long training programme to become museum guides were mostly wives of expatriates from different parts of the world. 

Read full article here

The Straits Times February 21 2015

WANTED: VOLUNTEER MUSEUM GUIDES

No experience necessary. National Heritage Board will now help recruit and train docents. Must commit to volunteering at least once a month for two years.

Ms Yuen Tan, who has been giving tours at the National Museum of Singapore for a year and a half with docent group Museum Volunteers, said she signed up because she wanted to know more about her heritage. “I started out being very ignorant about Singapore history,” said Ms Tan, who is in her 30s and works in a system integration firm. “ All I knew was that we used to be a fishing village, and then we were separated (from Malaysia) in 1965. It made me feel ignorant that I didn’t even know about my own roots.”

Volunteer Opportunities at Community Events, Heritage Trails and other Heritage projects

If you have the passion for heritage, we welcome you to volunteer for our community events, heritage trails and even community gallery museums. Join our mailing list at  [email protected]  to be kept updated about the volunteering opportunities.

Our docents and volunteers are the soul of our museums and heritage institutions as they help bring the stories behind our artefacts to life. Over the years, NHB’s family of museum volunteers and docents has grown from strength to strength, counting amongst them private organisations such as  Friends of the Museum (FOM)  and  Museum Volunteers (MV) , as well as individuals who are simply passionate about sharing their love for Singapore’s history and heritage. Similar to the FOMs and MVs, the  Mandarin Guides  support the museums and promote the arts and culture scene in Singapore by providing Mandarin guided tours. Their zeal and enthusiasm is something NHB is very grateful for. There are 3 groups of volunteers that support the various museums under the National Heritage Board. They are the  Friends of Museums, Singapore (FOM) , the  Museum Volunteers (MV)  and  Mandarin Guides (MG) . For enquiries regarding the  Friends of the Museums, Singapore , please contact: 6337 3685 or e-mail  [email protected]. For enquiries regarding the  Mandarin Docents (National Museum of Singapore) , please e-mail  [email protected] For enquiries regarding NHB's Volunteer Engagement programmes and recruitment, please e-mail  [email protected].