The Kampong Glam area is the historic seat of Malay royalty, resident here before the arrival of Raffles, and the istana (palace) on this site was built for the last sultan of Singapore, Ali Iskander Shah, between 1836 and 1843. It's now a museum, its recently revamped galleries exploring Malay-Singaporean culture and history, from the early migration of traders to Kampong Glam to the development of Malay-Singaporean film, theatre, music and publishing.
Free guided tours run at 11am Tuesday to Friday, while special events include free Malay film nights under the stars – check the museum website for upcoming events.
