Special Exhibition at SCCC - Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage

Chinese New Year (CNY) 2026 is a few months away from December 2025, as we are preparing to usher in CNY 2026, do you recall watching traditional lion dance performances at various CNY celebrations events and community venues, as well as organisations celebrating CNY. Do you notice that there are different lion dance designs and styles with their own history, heritage, culture and stories of their origin? How much do you know about lion dance history and heritage in Singapore? Now you can find out more about them at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC), they are proud to present Tradition in Motion: Singapore Lion’s Dance Heritage, a special exhibition for the upcoming CNY 2026, showcasing the rich history, heritage, culture, as well as evolving customs, and contemporary expressions of lion dance in Singapore.

Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage Special Exhibition

This special exhibition at SCCC features over 50 artefacts, photographs, posters and figurines, highlighting the enduring significance and contributions of lion dance in Singapore, its diversity, innovations, and achievements of local lion dance troupes.

A display of eight lion heads anchor this special exhibition, representing the variety of lion dance styles practised in Singapore, including the familiar southern lion dance, and the less common Hainan Lion and the Fujian Green Lion.

Learn about Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage through three main zones

Learn more about Singapore’s lion dance heritage through three main thematic zones.

Zone 1: History, Traditions and Customs of Lion Dance in Singapore

The first zone explores the history, traditions and customs of lion dance in Singapore. They also reveal the intricate craft of lion head making, featuring a lion head made by Singapore’s last lion head craftsman, Henry Ng, shown in its first and final stages of production.

Zone 2: Singapore’s Lion Dance Culture Today

The second zone explores Singapore’s lion dance culture as it continues to thrive in today’s Singapore. In this zone, visitors can view the Genting World Lion Dance Trophies won by Yiwei Athletic Association in 2023 and 2025. Visitors can also learn how our local lion dance troupes continue to embrace diversity by opening its doors to members of all ages and ethnicities, and adapting lion dance routines for senior performers.

Zone 3: Pop-Culture Representations of Lion Dance

The third zone showcases pop-culture representations of lion dance that highlight contemporary culture’s ongoing fascination with lion dance. Check out the vintage posters of films such as Once Upon a Time in China III to limited edition collectibles such as the Unipolar Fortune (Me)lion Dance figurine.

This special exhibition showcases lion dance as an enduring source of inspiration for cultural offerings.

SCCC Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alvin Tan, said, “Through the exhibition, we hope that visitors can learn more about lion dance, including its early roots, the unique traits of lion dance in Singapore, how it continues to be manifested through popular culture, and more. We also hope that visitors will not only feel proud of the achievements of our local lion dance troupes, but be inspired by their resilience and ongoing efforts to ensure that lion dance becomes not only an enduring art form but a cultural heritage that Singaporeans can be proud of.”

The key highlight for me from this exhibition has to be the display of eight lion heads anchoring this special exhibition. How often do you get to see lion dance troupes from different organisations/origins come together for an exhibition (or gathering) like this, beside lion dance competitions? This special exhibition might look small in size, however it is packed with rich and diverse content, on the history, heritage, culture, and stories of lion dance in Singapore.

Come on down and visit Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage Special Exhibition, explore and learn for yourself, together with your family, and loved ones, how traditional art form of lion dance continues to innovate, and how it remains a vibrant symbol of culture, resilience and community spirit.

Definitely worth a visit to SCCC to check out this special exhibition on lion dance, there are other exhibitions ongoing as well. Just nice, it can form part of your family’s preparation for CNY 2026, to learn more about Chinese history, heritage, and culture.

Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage Special Exhibition