A rainy afternoon can be a good excuse to spend time with an exhibition or hear something unfamiliar at Esplanade. Choose one indoor stop you want to visit, then plan the journey around it.

We would start with a library exhibition for a flexible afternoon. A performance suits a day when you can arrive for a particular start time. Either gives the outing a purpose without filling the day with stops.

Choose an exhibition that interests you

The National Library’s current exhibition directory covers several venues. Check the individual location: Punggol Stories is at Punggol Library, for example, while the two exhibitions below are in the National Library Building.

  • The News Gallery: Beyond Headlines is at the Level 11 Promenade. It draws on newspaper collections dating from the 1820s to explore how different media reported episodes from Singapore’s history.
  • Singapore Alcove’s Lepak Landscapes is at Central Library. It looks at leisure in Singapore, including housing estates, shopping and outdoor spaces, through collection material, digital storybooks and book recommendations.

Choose the News Gallery if you are curious about reporting and how accounts of an event differ. Lepak Landscapes offers a way to think about places where people have spent their free time. A familiar place in a display could also give you something to discuss with family afterwards.

Both are permanent exhibitions, open from 10am to 9pm. Confirm the visitor information and any closure notice before heading out. Choose one as your main stop and add the other if you still feel like looking around.

You need not read every panel. At the News Gallery, compare a report’s date, headline and source. At Singapore Alcove, look for a place you recognise and see how its use has changed. A few details you remember can make the visit more rewarding than rushing through everything.

If you want to browse books too, use NLB’s library directory to check the branch and services you need.

Make time for a performance

Esplanade’s Concourse hosts visual art and evening performances. Its family theatre guide identifies the venue as a place for free, drop-in performances.

Browse What’s On for the programme, start time and admission details. Choose an indoor venue for a rainy-day plan; Esplanade has outdoor performance spaces too. If you are going with children or someone who needs access arrangements, look at the event’s age guidance, duration and venue information.

Leave time to arrive and settle before the performance. You can enjoy unfamiliar music without knowing the repertoire, but a rushed journey makes it harder to give the performance your attention.

Keep the plan manageable

One exhibition or performance can be enough for an afternoon. Work out the route from public transport and leave room for a meal if you want one.

If the rain clears, you can decide on a detour then. If it continues, you already have something worth leaving home for. Save our Tiong Bahru walk for a day when you can spend more time in the streets.