Layout of Changi area

Hi Kurt, welcome to Singapore! I believe its your first time in Singapore? Well then, let me be your guide! I've heard that you are looking for an attraction to visit in Singapore. I think I might just have the place for you. Here's some details about Changi Chapel & Museum (CCM).

Me outside the museum

Background of museum

The Changi Museum was built at its current location on 15 February 2001. Its relocation coincided with the 59th Anniversary of the Japanese invasion of Singapore. It was built in honor of the men & women who contributed and/or died during the Japanese invasion, and following which, the Japanese occupation of the island during World War 2. 

Layout of museum

Layout of CCM

                                                      

The museum has a very 'user-friendly' layout. It has a round-about design, with each section touching on different topics. Zone 1 gives a general description of the war. Following which, a long corridor has boards on both sides, explaining the events that led up to the surrender of the British Army in Singapore. It also sites events that occurred during the occupation. Zone 2 describes life in Changi Prison. It includes a life-sized floor plan of a prison cell in Changi Prison, a real cell door, and a block of the original Changi Prison wall. Zone 3 highlights the contributions made by Stanley Warren, who was captured and jailed by the Japanese. To show his appreciation to God for keeping him alive, he painted the Changi Murals. Zone 4 focuses on art pieces made during war by various artists. Finally, Zone 5 commemorates the end of the war and pays tribute to people and organisations that contributed directly/indirectly to Singapore. It also remembers the contributions made by foreign personnel and Armies.

The tail of the trail ends with a Gift Shop that sells many books on World War 2.

Facilities & Services

I was quite surprised at the depth of services that such a tiny museum could provide. A full audio tour would cost $8. They also provide In-House tours at $8. What really surprised me was that they do organize bus tours that would take visitors to prominent sites during the war.

Tour Bus

If nature calls, I'm afraid you'll have to put the call on hold. I walked around the entire vicinity trying to find a restroom, not one in sight. However, I was told that the restroom was situated inside the restaurant. Well, that doesn't sound too convenient to me.

Other notable facilities/services:

• Car Park with ample parking space
• Restaurant (provides rental for functions)

Longhouse

• Small area for visitors to pray for those who lost their lives

Sand from Changi Beach

• Provision of wheelchairs

Safety

All artifacts were placed in sealed displays to prevent people from damaging them, and vice versa. Also, I observed that there were a couple of emergency escape doors situated around the museum.

Quality of service

It was mostly a self-guided tour for me, however, the staff were very friendly and will not constantly follow you, giving you the space to look at the displays.

How would I classify the museum?

Secondary and Built-Not-For-Tourism. Firstly, I would categorize this as a secondary attraction as Changi Chapel & Museum itself is not a powerful enough motivating element for tourists to come to Singapore. However, it is very useful at educating tourists on Singapore's darkest years during their stay, hence, its role as an secondary attraction. It is also Built-Not-For-Tourism as its main purpose isn't attracting tourists. Although one of its target markets is tourists, its main purpose is to remember those who lived through those dark years. On my visit there, i observed that there were only tourists there. There was one group of mandarin-speaking tourists, and a handful of independent Caucasian tourists. All the tourists I saw were middle-aged. Based on my knowledge, people from the middle-aged group prefer attractions that provide them knowledge more than fun. However, when i spoke to staff Beverly, she said that they do receive locals as well. She said that locals do bring their families along on weekdays, especially Sundays as part of their family day out.When I roamed the compound of the museum, I spotted a Tour Bus. Hence, I assume that at least one of the tour groups arrived by bus. I also observed the occasional trickling in on independent tourists on foot. I would classify them under 'The Explorer'. These type of tourists will go off the beaten track to discover new things, but they still do require some form of comfortable accommodation.

What makes CCM a must-go destination?

Firstly, Singapore is rich in culture and history. If one were to make his trip memorable, it would be to have a better understanding of the country's background, and to immerse in its culture, and not the ride a roller coaster in a world-famous theme park, or to walk down a shopping street, don't you think so too?. Changi Chapel & Museum provides just that, and more. On my visit there, I was quite surprised at the ease it was for me to follow the flow, and i could understand what I was reading. This brings that the point of the museums good layout. On a personal note, I also felt that the use of real artifacts donated by war survivors was also a major plus point for the museum. For example, by putting the real layout of a Changi prison cell, I could picture myself crammed in a cell, in the company of 3 other inmates. By having the real prison door and block of the Changi Prison wall, I could, quite literally, feel the harshness of living in a cell during the occupation.
For CCM, the core product would be to educate people on what happened during those dark years. 
The tangible products would be real artifacts that the museum owns, used to bring live to the stories told, to make visitors see and feel the real thing. Finally, the augmented product would have to be the restaurant. Although it becomes a plus point that differentiates CCM from other museums, its purpose is complete irrelevant from CCM's, hence, it is good to have, but not necessary to have.
For CCM, there is a much greater portion of intangible benefits than tangible ones. This is because the visitors leave with nothing physical in their hands, but leave with greater knowledge of Singapore's history. That is exactly what the purpose of the museum is.

Unique factors of CCM as a service product. Challenges they face.

During my visit, I witnessed one staff member in action, giving a tourist couple an In-House tour. As a Singaporean, I didn't feel the need to purchase a tour, as I understood what I was reading and looking at, hence, staff's assistance was unnecessary for me. However, when I put myself in the shoes of the tourists, I can imagine how lost I would be if the staff wasn't on hand to assist and to give them a walkthrough of the museum. Thus, I can say that in the context of tourists, the presence and quality of the staff's service was crucial to the experience the tourists have in the museum. If not for the staff explaining to the tourists, the exhibits and displays would have little meaning to the tourists. Thus, I can safely say, that the staff is indeed part of the product itself when it comes to tourists.

Most of the visitors there were very considerate and kept their volume down. I can only imagine how badly my experience would have gone if there were noisy children running about the museum. This goes to show that my good experience at the museum was also partly because of how other visitors behaved.

As mentioned earlier, the In-House and Audio Tours are optional. These means that visitors who purchase the tours will have a much different experience compared to those who do not. Also, interaction between the visitors and staff are not the same, due to differences in personality of both parties. This reflects how the service product is constantly changing.

In this case, the problem of perishability is not as major, as the museum is a non-profit organization that does not charge admission fees. As a result, (assuming that the visitor does not purchase any tours) even if a visitor doesn't go to the museum on Day 1, there will be a negligible loss for the museum.

Finally, it is very clear that the ambiance and atmosphere in the museum is crucial to how visitors perceive the service product. The right brightness of lightning, no music, sets the optimal ambiance for such a museum. However, I would suggest that they play recordings of interviews with people during those years to futher enhance the atmosphere.

Why I think CCM is so highly-rated on TripAdvisor

Certificate from TripAdvisor

                                                       

Pamphlet for CCM

When i asked Beverly why she thinks CCM stands out from other war-era museums (e.g. Bukit Chandu), she said that many of the comments made by visitors were that the content in the museum was easy to read and comprehend. The tourists also liked the way the contents were organized into different zones, with a chronological flow. I concur. As I had said earlier, the visitors where mostly under 'The Explorer'. CCM, in my opinion, fulfills a sufficient number of 'The Explorer''s needs. It serves as a good rest stop where tourists can take a break from their exploration of Singapore, while learning a little bit more about Singapore's history. The amount of content is short and sweet, which suites 'The Explorer' as they will surely have other places to go to to explore. Lastly, CCM partners other museums to increase their exposure. Phamplets of other museums are available at CCM, which means that the same is being done at other attractions. However, I feel that it could do more to promote itself, maybe it can hold events that would draw tourists on group tours there.

Impact of CCM on Singapore

The external environment CCM will affect the most is definitely the  socio-cultural environment. To be honest, I felt very attached during my visit to CCM. I guess that was the pride of being a Singaporean.  After touring the museum, I understood how many sacrifices our forefathers had to make to make our futures a safe and comfortable one. I felt I had a duty to make sure the sacrifices these brave men and women had made won't go to waste.This shows that the museum has the power of stirring emotions of unity and hope in visitors. From a tourist's point of view, I feel the CCM is a very good channel to make them understand, and hopefully, to make them appreciate why Singapore emphasizes so much on peace, stability and harmony. 

On the economical front, CCM does not directly contribute to Singapore's economy as it is an non-profit organization backed by the government. However, by making foreign visitors better understand our history and culture, they would hopefully be more interested in Singapore, and thus, invest more.




And.....finally, if you want to make a trip down to CCM, do take note of the following:
Opening Hours: 0930hrs - 1700hrs (Last admission 1630hrs)

Public Transport: (alight at bus-stop opposite CCM)

• SBS No.2 from Tanah Merah MRT Station
• SBS No.29 from Tampines MRT Station

Admission: FOC

Rules:

For more info, check out their website, www.changimuseum.sg!

Have a fun visit! See you there!!!

Me at the gates