singaporecity360° Maghain Aboth Synagogue
Maghain Aboth Synagogue stands at 24/26 Waterloo Street, in the civic district, and is the oldest surviving synagogue in Southeast Asia, consecrated in 1878 and gazetted a national monument in 1998.
Two things to know first
No walk-ins. Turning up at Waterloo Street without a booking will not get you inside.
The museum route needs three days' notice, so this cannot be added to an itinerary at the last minute.
It is a working place of worship run by the Jewish Welfare Board, not a museum, so the synagogue hall itself is seen only by prior arrangement — email [email protected] or call +65 6337 2189. What most visitors actually book is the free Jews of Singapore Museum in the adjoining Jacob Ballas Centre, which is by appointment and needs booking at least three days ahead; it runs roughly 10am to 6pm on weekdays, closes at noon on Fridays, and is shut on Saturdays and Jewish festivals.
Expect a security check and modest dress on entry. It is a short walk from Bras Basah MRT, on the same street as the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple. The whole compound sits behind a manned security gate off Waterloo Street, so allow a few minutes to sign in and pass the bag check; the nearest station is Bras Basah (CC2) on the Circle Line, a two-minute walk, with Bencoolen (DT21) about as close from the other side.
Book the free Jews of Singapore Museum through [email protected] at least three days ahead rather than turning up — walk-ins are turned away at the security gate, and the museum keeps different, shorter hours from the rest of the week on Fridays, closing at midday. Cover shoulders and knees; men are given a head covering to wear inside.
Rain, heat, and what to do about it
Live readings and forecasts from NEA. Four days is the limit — past that, nobody is forecasting, they are showing you an average.
Southwest Monsoon
June to September
Short, sharp early-morning showers and occasional squall lines. Drier overall than the northeast wet phase.
The other good window. Rain tends to arrive early and clear, leaving usable afternoons. This is also when haze can occur, which is worth checking rather than assuming.
Plan your Maghain Aboth Synagogue stop
Straight-line distance from the three places a visitor has already heard of.
1.9km
north-west
2.2km
east
16km
south-west
What costs money inside
| What | Adult | Resident | Child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jews of Singapore Museum — same building as the synagogue Free, but booking is required at least three days ahead. Sunday 2pm–6pm, Monday to Thursday 10am–6pm, Friday 10am–noon only, closed Saturdays and Jewish festivals. This is the realistic way to get inside the compound. | Free | Free | Free |
Maghain Aboth Synagogue, in every light
Nearby, on foot
In Civic District — close enough to collect on the same trip out.
Contains information from Tourist Attractions accessed on 2026-08-01 from data.gov.sg, made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0.