Visit Us
Visit Us
Getting Here and Parking
Kampong Gelam
Eat & Drink
Visit Us
Opening hours: 9am – 11pm daily |
Getting Here and Parking
By Bus:
From North Bridge Road - Bus numbers 7, 32, 51, 63, 80, 145, and 197.
From Victoria Street - Bus numbers 2, 7, 12, 32, 33, 51, 63, 80, 130, 133, 145, and 197.
From Beach Road - Bus numbers 10, 14, 16, 70, 100, 107, 196, and 401.
By Car:
Head towards North Bridge Road via Crawford Street/Jalan Sultan and turn left at Aliwal Street.
By MRT:
- Circle Line Nicoll Highway MRT (CC5)
- East West Line Lavender MRT (EW11)
- Downtown Line Bugis (DT14)
Parking:
There is an open-air public carpark in front of Aliwal Arts Centre, or along Aliwal Street, Kandahar Street and Pahang Street.
However, spaces are limited, and we recommend parking at The Concourse, Textile Centre, Sultan Plaza or DUO.
About Kampong Gelam

Throughout the nineteenth century, Kampong Gelam was known as a district with a strong Malay-Arab influence as the main place for trade of traditional Arab-Muslim food and merchandise. In the 1822 Town Plan drawn by Sir Stamford Raffles, Kampong Gelam was officially allocated to the Malays, Bugis and Arabs.
What we see today in Kampong Gelam is a variety of rich heritage passed down from generation to generation. Some of these long enduring traditions are in the form of monuments, trades, cultures and practices. Conservation of places of worship, old school, old dwellings, some of which are still in their original form while others have been refurbished.
About Kampong Gelam
Kampong Gelam (c.1830 Campong Gelam) estate covers 56 ac of land set aside for Sultan Hussein Mohamed Shah and 600 family members in 1823, a few years after the Sultan and Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman signed a treaty with Sir Stamford Raffles and the British East India Company in 1819. The road names in the area, such as Bussorah, Muscat and Kandahar streets – named after places in the Muslim world – were approved by the Municipal Commissioners at an Ordinary Meeting held on 15 April 1910. In Malay, the word Kampong means "village or settlement", while Gelam is the name of a particular tree, which grew in abundance in the area in early Singapore.
Throughout the nineteenth century, Kampong Gelam was known as a district with a strong Malay-Arab influence as the main place for trade of traditional Arab-Muslim food and merchandise. In the 1822 Town Plan drawn by Sir Stamford Raffles, Kampong Gelam was officially allocated to the Malays, Bugis and Arabs.
In 1840, the Istana Kampong Gelam was built by Sultan Hussein's eldest son, Tengku Ali at Sultan Gate. He was later recognised as the Sultan of Singapore by the British in 1855. The Istana Kampong Gelam, along with Bendara House (Gudung Kuning) is now the Malay Heritage Centre - a vital heritage institution for the Malay community in Singapore.
On 7 July 1989, Kampong Glam was gazetted a conservation area, and it is preserved as a historic part of town.
What we see today in Kampong Gelam is a variety of rich heritage passed down from generation to generation. Some of these long enduring traditions are in the form of monuments, trades, cultures and practices. Conservation of places of worship, old school, old dwellings, some of which are still in their original form while others have been refurbished. These rich remains give a hint of the architecture and life style of the early days. Such diverse rich heritage can only come about through a sense of tolerance, sharing and bonding, all encapsulated in the Kampong Gelam spirit.
F&B choices

The Fabulous Baker Boy
Bigger, better and more fabulous than before, The Fabulous Baker Boy is back with a multi-concept, full-service bakery, patisserie, café and restaurant!
Cool and casual café vibes in a palette of pastel colours mingle with the inviting aroma of artisanal baked goods and home-cooked cuisine at The Fabulous Baker Boy. Famed for its riveting array of fabulous cakes and now classics with a twist, The Fabulous Baker Boy presents an all-day breakfast brunch menu including artisanal baked goods in a new location that marries delicious home-cooked food with a contemporary interior at their Big Love Bakery and Soul Kitchen.
Diners are spoiled for choice with more than 14 cakes to choose from, and their delicious brunch menu option is sure to leave diners coming back for more to this women-empowered kitchen and bakery.
Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am to 6:30pm
Closed on Mondays

Tipo Pasta Bar
Snug eatery offering build-your-own & set meals with handmade pasta, plus drinks & starters.
All About Tipo Pasta Bar
Reaching out for a box of dry spaghetti and bottled pasta sauce is what college kids do. Not here, not us.
Food is always a solace where we’re living abroad and far from everything familiar to us. So our love for fresh and artisanal pasta grew exponentially and we became greedy to learn more. In the home kitchens of our hosts, we whipped up dinners for pasta nights and fed our roommates during those 4am assignment deadlines.
In memory of those tough nights and of course, our love for carbs, Tipo Pasta Bar is about the celebration of artisanal produce. Where pasta are handcrafted and reimagined to be something more than just out of a packaged box.
Monday to Sunday 11.00am to 10.00pm
Monday to Thursday |
11.00am to 10.00pm |
Friday to Saturday |
11.00am to 11.00pm |
Rent Our Space
FAQs
Looking for a performance space?
These are the spaces that we have at Aliwal Arts Centre:
- Multi-purpose hall
- Music Studio
- Multi-purpose studios
- Project Studios (artists only)
- Co-working space
- FAQs
For more details and images of our spaces, follow this link. For enquiries and bookings, please contact aac@artshouse.sg
* Please note that business hours are between Monday and Friday, 9am - 6.30pm, and we will respond within two business days.
Know more about Aliwal Arts Centre?
Aliwal Arts Centre is a multi-disciplinary arts centre with a strong focus on performing arts located at the former Chong Cheng and Chong Pun Schools at 28 Aliwal Street within the Kampong Glam conservation district. It offers a conducive environment to support the artistic development of both contemporary and traditional arts groups, drawing inspiration from the rich cultural heritage in the area.
Aliwal Arts Centre also aims to tap on the rich cultural heritage of the site to bring together arts enthusiasts, the arts community and the general public to explore new frontiers in performing arts.
In Aliwal Arts Centre, our spaces are versatile and can be used innovatively for range of events, performances, or exhibitions. Apart from venue-for-hire, we also provide artist housing and co-working spaces for individuals. For more images and information, follow this link. For enquiries and bookings, please contact aac@artshouse.sg.
* Please note that business hours are between Monday and Friday, 9am - 6.30pm, and we will respond within two business days.