It’s been more than a month since every Singaporean above the age of 18 received $100 in SG Culture Pass credits, and we know that everyone’s still racking their brains on how best to maximise it.
There’s nothing to be ashamed of – we’re all familiar with the daily song and dance of ordering just enough food at our favourite hawker stalls to make good on a crisp $5 CDC voucher.
The SG Culture Pass works a little differently though. Gone are the denominations of CDC vouchers and pandemic-era SingapoRediscovers Vouchers. Rather, credits get deducted directly from the sticker price of over 400 eligible arts and heritage experiences.
You can head to the SG Culture Pass portal for a handily collated selection of tours, performances, workshops, and concerts, categorised by genre, price, and date. There’s even a Senior-Friendly category. Though, if you ask us, more or less every experience is suitable for active silvers.
Singlit (short for Singaporean literature) books and locally-made movies will eventually be added to the list sometime in 2026 as well, just in case you wanted to buy out the box set of all Ah Boys to Men movies.
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To access the credits, simply use your Singpass. Not that there’s any rush to use the credits, as they only expire on 31 December 2028.
Read on for a list of SG Culture Pass experiences suitable for all you maximisers out there, plus a list of unique adventures too good to ignore.
One and done: Use your SG Culture Pass credits in one go
Not sure how exactly to spend your $100 credit? Here are some SG Culture Pass experiences that’ll get you exactly past that goalpost with not a single cent wasted.
1. Try your hand at batik clay art, $100
Love pottery and the artistry of traditional Peranakan and Malay batik print?
Get the best of both worlds when you shape, bake, and make your own batik clay accessories at this beginner-friendly two-hour workshop by craft studio Hands On Klay (if that isn’t quite your speed, you can also make your own miniature kueh charms at the same studio).
Here’s the kicker – the class will be held in Orchard Road, meaning convenient shopping (or a dim sum brunch) is just a street away.
Find out more here.
2. Have a photoshoot in a classic Nyonya kebaya or batik shirt, $100
Throw on a classic Nyonya kebaya or batik shirt, and live out your Emerald Hill dreams with a professional photoshoot in the classically decorated Peranakan Mansion in Joo Chiat.
While you’re there in the heart of local Peranakan history, do take a good look at the cultural treasures around the space – and don’t leave without snagging a kueh or three.
Find out more here.
3. Make your own neon LED sign, $100
Credit: RetroCade
Okay, so neon LED signs aren’t exactly the subtlest way to spruce up your home – but who says everything has to be practical?
Head down to RetroCade’s workshop in Woodlands, and in three hours, you’ll have your own fully functioning neon sign, complete with colours and a charmingly nostalgic design of your choice. Now you’ll just have to find a place to put it.
Find out more here.
4. Uncover the secrets of local-brewed soy sauce, $100
Credit: Nanyang Sauce
While most of us are no strangers to the sultry savouriness of soy sauce, few have seen – and smelled – the magic of fermentation up close.
Well, this is your chance – head down to stalwart local brewer Nanyang Sauce‘s Chip Bee factory for an insider look at the secrets behind the sauce.
As part of the experience, you’ll get three hours with a third-generation brewer, a soy sauce appreciation workshop (like a wine tasting, but saltier), and a tour of the factory to boot.
Find out more here.
5. Go for a crash course in pottery, $100
If bang-for-your-buck is a priority for you, the pottery course by Common Touch in Pearl Hill Terrace is hard to top.
Everyone from journeymen to absolute beginners will get to walk away with five ceramic pieces (though, technically, they’ll have to wait two months before they can pick it up).
These include three wheel-thrown pieces – think jugs, vases, or mugs – and two smaller handmade ceramics. Score!
Find out more here.
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Go with the flow: Unique tours, workshops, and experiences
If you’re still reading this, it means that you’re looking for unique experiences to guide your SG Culture Pass credit spend. Here are some of the most interesting and unique examples in the catalogue right now.
1. Exclusive tour of Jurong Fishery Port, $60
Many of us have probably made it a point to visit Tokyo’s famous fish markets in Toyosu and Tsukiji (before the inner market closed), but what about Singapore’s very own Jurong Fishery Port?
Get a taste (and whiff) of our maritime history from the horse’s mouth with Hidden Heritage’s insider port tour.
Expect exclusive details from practitioners like seafood market Port65 and Serve by Hai Sia Seafood, along with a much-needed dose of safety and guidance as you navigate the scaley hive of oceanic activity in the early morning.
Find out more here.
2. Paint your own heritage kopi cup, $79
Nothing says culture quite like a beginner-friendly workshop teaching you how to paint images of an iconic red rooster, local hawker delights, and other nostalgic motifs onto a true-blue local kopi cup.
It’s a simple, family-friendly activity for all skill levels, conveniently located at Arudio Ceramic’s workshop in Macpherson.
Find out more here.
3. Sip on tea at a quaint teahouse, $78
For Chinese tea aficionados, the conversation on where to spend your SG Culture Pass credits should lead to one location only: an authentic, two-hour tea appreciation experience at Singapore’s oldest and largest teahouse, Tea Chapter.
Expect to learn about everything from basic tea etiquette to the history of tea across different cultures.
And of course, you won’t walk away thirsty – or hungry – as you’ll be duly fed and watered with different types of Chinese tea, house-braised tea eggs, and more. Don’t forget your tea souvenir too!
Find out more here.
4. Learn how to paint… with a knife, $70
Painting with a knife sounds hardcore, until you realise that was actually one of the defining tools of the late American TV personality, Bob Ross.
Channel your inner gentle painting legend and turn a blank canvas into a painting fit for your dining room with a little patience and practice at Artify Studio.
We’ve chosen to feature the koi painting experience, though you might prefer shooting for a vibrant seascape or the picturesque Mount Fuji.
Find out more here.
5. Roll your own popiah, $27
In the mood for some popiah love? Roll up your sleeves and head down to Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah in, well, Joo Chiat, for a do-it-yourself foodie experience you won’t soon forget.
The one-hour experience gets your senses going with a live demonstration of popiah skin being made the old way, before paying off that anticipation with a chance to roll (and nosh on) your own popiah. Hey, we said we’d help you maximise your Culture Pass credits!
If this popiah experience sounds familiar to any of you, we’ve went for this before with our Makan Kakis – so consider joining our free WhatsApp community if you’re looking for like-minded pals to get your hands dirty with!
Find out more here.
