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A Guide for Disabled Travelers in Singapore with Accessible Attractions & Convenient Tips
- Tips for Travelers with Disabilities in Singapore
- The Best Accessible Attractions in Singapore
- Gardens by the Bay
- Singapore Flyer
- Singapore Zoo
- ArtScience Museum
- S.E.A. Aquarium
- Jewel Changi Airport
- National Museum of Singapore
- Bird Paradise
- Asian Civilisations Museum
- Singapore Botanic Gardens
- National Gallery Singapore
- Esplanade - Theatres in the Bay
My grandmother enjoyed travelling, but exploring the city became less frequent after she started using a wheelchair post-surgery.
Luckily, Singapore is a very accessible city with many wheelchair-friendly spots we could take her to. My grandmother didn’t mind being pushed around as long as she could comfortably enjoy museums and parks.
If you know someone looking for disability-friendly spots to visit around the city, take them to my recommended spots below! I also included some helpful tips to keep in mind when getting around the island.
Tips for Travelers with Disabilities in Singapore
- Plan ahead of your trip and research the accessibility features and amenities of the places you will be visiting. You can start with our list below!
- Don’t hesitate to ask for ticket concessions at museums, theatre performances, attractions, and more. These establishments often offer discounted rates for people with disabilities, so don’t miss out on them and ask!
- Reserve your seats online when booking a live show or performance. Usually, you can indicate whether you’ll need a special seating arrangement for your mobility aids.
- Take advantage of Singapore’s efficient public transit system when getting around the city on mobility aids. Bus stations and units are barrier-free, just look for buses with blue decals.
- Don’t be shy to advocate for yourself when travelling around Singapore. Stay informed about accessibility laws in the city and report any case of discrimination or barriers.
The Best Accessible Attractions in Singapore
Gardens by the Bay
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Dr (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +65 6420 6848
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 5:00 am to 2:00 am
My grandmother would always tell me that since Gardens by the Bay opened, she always paid a visit at least once a month to marvel at the gardens and floral displays. I would accompany her to the park whenever she asked me to.
The massive garden complex has several main attractions like the Cloud Forest, Floral Fantasy, and Flower Dome, which all have wheelchair-accessible walkways and ramps. You can rent a wheelchair for $2 per day from the gift shop at any point of your visit.
My grandmother’s favourite site is the Supertree Grove, a complex of massive vertical gardens that light up at night. Though there’s a suspended bridge connecting the trees, she prefers to stay on the ground and admire them from below.
| Tip: Gardens by the Bay also offers free shuttle services for people needing wheelchair assistance. The shuttles run at 10-minute intervals and can be boarded from the Bayfront Plaza or the Flower Dome. Note that companions assisting disabled visitors must purchase a shuttle service ticket for $3 per 2-way ride. The last rides are at 8:45 pm, but times may change or vary. |
Singapore Flyer
Address: 30 Raffles Ave (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +65 6333 3311
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
The Singapore Flyer is a must-visit for tourists who want to get scenic views of Marina Bay and the city skyline, and I’m glad they made sure the Ferris wheel can accommodate handicapped visitors.
The Singapore Flyer capsules are large enough to fit up to 5 wheelchairs and 15 standing guests, which says a lot about their size. Each handicapped passenger will be given priority access and extra care from the staff members to ensure smooth boarding.
There are also wheelchair-friendly toilets, ramps, lifts, and walkways for companions to easily push or assist handicapped visitors to the Singapore Flyer. I can vouch for their exceptional attention to accessibility.
| Tips: The Singapore Flyer also has wheelchair-friendly parking slots located next to the lifts that take you directly to the ticket booths. These parking slots are exclusively designed for vehicles equipped with wheelchair ramps or for visitors tagging along a visitor needing wheelchair assistance. While capsules can fit up to 5 wheelchairs, you can also book a capsule for a private occasion or request that the benches inside the capsules be taken out for more space. You’ll need to email and inform the Singapore Flyer staff ahead of your visit for this. |
Singapore Zoo
Address: 80 Mandai Lake Rd (Google Maps)
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 8:30 am to 6:00 pm
One of my favourite places to bring my handicapped relatives to in Singapore is the Singapore Zoo. The zoo has specifically designed its amenities to cater to handicapped visitors, which is a feature I highly appreciate.
Right off the bat, they offer free tram rides that go around the park’s main attractions. Some of the trams have special wheelchair slots for handicapped visitors to keep them comfortable throughout their whole visit.
Animal attractions and activities inside the zoo are also disability-friendly, with some performances giving priority access to visitors in wheelchairs. Just make sure to ask the assistance of one of the staff members in the reception area!
| Tips: Wheelchair rentals are free at Singapore Zoo! Just head over to the reception area by the entrance to request a wheelchair in case you didn’t bring one for your handicapped or elderly companion. I recommend downloading the Mandai mobile app for easy access to park maps and services. |
ArtScience Museum
Address: 6 Bayfront Ave, Marina Bay Sands Singapore (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +65 6688 8888
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
For a day filled with a feast for the senses, I recommend taking your loved ones and friends to the ArtScience Museum. The museum showcases digital presentations and high-definition projections of digital art across its 21 gallery spaces.
Visitors are free to roam around the wheelchair-friendly pathways inside the museum and interact with the digital presentations. The galleries not only display art but also projections of big data, marine biology, and space exploration, to name a few.
Doors inside the museum are automated and each floor is equipped with wheelchair-friendly lifts, restrooms, and walkways. Moreover, service and guide dogs are welcome inside the museum, so bring them along with you to your visit!
| Tips: Wheelchair rentals are available upon request. There is no charge for renting a wheelchair inside the museum! Don’t forget that you can get concession rates for people with disabilities and one caregiver at the ArtScience Museum. To learn more about discounted rates for persons with disabilities (PWD), click here. |
S.E.A. Aquarium
Address: 8 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa Island (Google Maps)
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Take your loved ones and friends under the sea at the S.E.A. Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world. There are over 100,000 aquatic animals here across 40 different habitats, so you’ll be spoilt for choice on where to start!
Popular attractions inside are the interactive discovery pools at the School of Fish, close encounters with hundreds of sharks at the Apex Predators of the Sea, and the Ocean Dome, the iconic centrepiece of the S.E.A. Aquarium.
Handicapped visitors can enjoy barrier-free accessibility inside, as well as walkways designed for wheelchairs and walking tools. Most of the attractions inside are wheelchair-friendly, save for the Ocean Dome which can be reached via a lift.
| Tip: Wheelchair rentals are not free of charge here, unfortunately. You can rent one from the Guest Services kiosk for $15 a day. |
Jewel Changi Airport
Address: 60 Airport Blvd. (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +65 6956 9898
Operating Hours: Open 24/7
Singapore Changi Airport is one of the world’s best international airports, and it deserves a spot on this list simply because it’s designed to make travellers of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities stay comfortable even during transit.
Aside from the aeroplanes, the heart of the airport is Jewel Changi. The retail complex spans 10 floors, and while you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to chopping and dining, must-see attractions are the Shiseido Forest Valley and the HSBC Rain Vortex.
Think of it as a massive indoor garden with a cascading indoor waterfall falling from a glass ceiling. The walkways and bridges are wheelchair-friendly, while wheelchairs and strollers are available for rent at the Concierge counters.
| Tips: For wheelchair and stroller rentals, you’ll need to secure a deposit for every unit you borrow. You can find current rental rates or deposit values from the concierge kiosks located at Levels 1 and 2. The Shiseido Forest Valley and HSBC Rain Vortex offer free admission. However, all other attractions inside the Jewel Changi complex have respective ticket rates. Check out this booking site for more info. I highly recommend sticking by the HSBC Rain Vortex between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm to catch the Light & Sound Showcase. I won’t spoil what happens when you drop by, but it’s definitely a must-see while you’re there! |
National Museum of Singapore
Address: 93 Stamford Rd (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +65 6332 3659
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
The National Museum of Singapore is one of my favourite museums, and visiting the galleries inside with my grandmother used to be a weekend pastime for us growing up. She never had issues visiting because all of its galleries are wheelchair-accessible.
The museum houses two permanent exhibitions: Story of the Forest and Singapore, Very Old Tree. Both of these show a collection of photographs and digital presentations about Singapore’s wildlife and changing landscapes over the years.
The management ensures that every visitor, regardless of age, background, and abilities, can fully enjoy the exhibitions. So, they installed accessible parking, translation aids, free wheelchair rentals, and sensory bags for children on the autistic spectrum.
| Tips: At the National Museum of Singapore, there are rest spots located on Level 2 called Quiet Corners where visitors who need a break from the overwhelming sensory experiences inside any of the galleries. These Quiet Rooms are designed to provide a safe space for disabled or autistic guests to regulate themselves until they’re ready to continue their visit. Note that although wheelchairs are free for visitors to rent, the staff won’t provide guides or assistants to push the handicapped visitor around the museum. Use the National Museum of Singapore Sensory-Friendly Map to help you get familiar with the spaces inside the museum before your visit. |
Bird Paradise
Address: 20 Mandai Lake Rd (Google Maps)
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Bird Paradise is another disability-friendly attraction in the Mandai Wildlife Nature Reserve compound that you should definitely consider visiting. The whole park spans a whopping 17 hectares and cares for over 3,500 birds from 400 different species.
If you or you know someone who loves birds, this is the place to be. The Mandai management is committed to inclusive access to the park and ensures that every guest can comfortably roam around the park’s numerous viewing platforms and bridges.
All the suspension bridges and platforms are located close enough to the birds and amenities. The railings are also porous and almost see-through, allowing visitors on wheelchairs or walking equipment to view the attractions at a lower angle.
| Tips: There’s a free shuttle service for handicapped visitors from the entrance to the Central Plaza section of the park. There are clamps on most of the shuttle services to secure handicapped passengers in place while on the road. Are the attractions a little overwhelming? There is a dedicated waiting and rest area with designated seats for people with disabilities and wheelchairs. Here, they get the space and comfort they need to regulate or rest before moving on to other parts of the park. |
Asian Civilisations Museum
Address: 1 Empress Pl (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +65 6332 7798
Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, Friday, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
As the name suggests, the Asian Civilisations Museum showcases Asian decorative art and antiquities. The museum is wholly dedicated to showing visitors the rich heritage and historical connections of Asian cultures to the rest of the world.
You’ll find Asian clothing dating back centuries, ceramics, paintings, kitchenware, homeware, and even tools they used in the past. Guided tours are available for booking if you wish to have a truly immersive experience in the museum.
One of the most poignant features of the Asian Civilisations Museum is that the management offers special arrangements for visitors with mobility needs. The staff can provide security clearance, priority access, and even audio description tools.
| Tips: If you’re visiting with children on the autistic spectrum, the Asian Civilisations Museum provides the ACM & Friends Fun Pack, which is a goodie bag containing activity sheets inspired by artefacts displayed in the museum. Your kids will simply follow instructions, solve puzzles, and participate in hands-on activities displayed in the Fun Pack. This is self-guided, by the way! The museum has a virtual museum host named Allie for anyone who needs assistance with getting around the exhibitions and access to mobility tools provided inside. Learn more about Allie and how she can help you get around the museum with ease here. |
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Address: 1 Cluny Rd (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +65 6471 7138
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 5:00 am to 12:00 am
Strolling around the grounds of the Singapore Botanic Gardens is a great way to unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s also a very accessible park, with well-maintained pathways and wheelchair-friendly gardens.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site also houses the National Orchid Garden, an attraction wholly dedicated to caring for and showcasing over 1,000 orchid species. If you didn’t already know, the orchid is Singapore’s national flower!
There are about 24 attractions inside the Singapore Botanic Gardens featuring over 3,000 plant and tree species from around the world. If you want to take a break from strolling around, there are benches and picnic spots scattered in the gardens!
| Tip: To give you a better idea of where to start exploring the Singapore Botanic Gardens, click on any of the maps and brochures on this page. |
National Gallery Singapore
Address: St. Andrew’s Road (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +65 6271 7000
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Another museum worth visiting for disabled travellers is the National Gallery Singapore. Known to house the world’s largest public collection of Southeast Asian Art, the museum is one of the most popular tourist spots in Singapore.
Two permanent exhibitions are currently on display: Between Declarations and Dreams and Siapa Nama Kamu?. Both exhibitions feature artworks, photographs, and artefacts created by Southeast Asian artists dating back to their country’s colonial eras.
In line with the management’s efforts to make visiting the museum more accessible, galleries inside are designed to be wheelchair-friendly for both manual and motorised wheelchair users.
| Tips: The National Gallery Singapore offers guided tours in Singapore Sign Language upon request. You’ll need to inform the management at least 6 weeks in advance for them to make arrangements for your visit. You can email them about it here. Visitors accompanying dementia patients can rely on the staff members at National Gallery Singapore for assistance. The gallery is an official “Dementia Go-To Point,” and that means that they work with the Agency for Integrated Care when managing and assisting dementia patients during a visit. Click here to learn more. |
Esplanade – Theatres in the Bay
Address: 1 Esplanade Dr (Google Maps)
Contact Details: +6568288377
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, near the mouth of the Singapore River in Downtown Core, is Singapore’s cultural hub and first-ever dementia-friendly arts centre. It includes a concert hall for 1,600 and a theatre seating up to 2,000.
During live performances and shows, disabled or handicapped visitors can enjoy concessions on tickets. The ticket concessions are also offered to one companion or caregiver to the disabled person.
There are also special seating arrangements for persons with disabilities, guide dogs, or patrons with low vision. Some areas of the venues have seats and slots specifically designed for wheelchair users, so they enjoy a bit more space while watching.
| Tips: The wheelchair seating arrangements at Esplanade – Theatres by the Bay are not always available due to some stage requirements of performances. It’s best to reach out to the Customer Experience staff ahead of your visit to ensure you get special seating arrangements reserved, when available, during your visit. The concession scheme for persons with disabilities applies to Esplanade Presents shows only. |
