SINGAPORE - This Christmas, it is not just the shopping malls that are seeing the holiday crowds.
Museums too are becoming a popular destination for families looking to spend some quality time together.
Over 300 parents and children visited the Singapore Art Museum on Tuesday.
The children let their imagination take flight with Lego bricks and art materials for some good old fashioned fun - making robots and whales, among other things.
The museum said such open house programmes are popular, with parents looking for an alternative way of spending family-time during the holidays.
One parent said, "We don`t want to go shopping centres because they are very crowded, so we thought of visiting the Art Museum. We`ve never been here before."
Another parent commented, "I come from KL, and normally we would go to church to celebrate, but this year we`re visiting my friend, so we wanted my daughter to experience a different thing."
Besides playing with Lego blocks, the children could also go on the museum`s Big Picture Show children`s trail.
All they needed to do was to pick up an activity booklet from the front desk, and see where their curiosity takes them.
Meanwhile, the Philatelic Museum at Armenian Street has also seen visitor numbers go up this festive season, about five times more than on an average weekend.
There are plenty of interactive activities to keep the little ones happy.
One boy said, "This is my second time here. The first time was on my school tour, so I was fascinated about this place, so I asked my father to bring my family here."
For those who think learning about art and history is their idea of a great way to spend the holiday, the National Heritage Board is offering free entry to its museums on January 1 also.
Source : www.channelnewsasia.com (26 Desember 2007)
