The beautiful setting is reason enough to go, but not the only one. Housed in a gorgeous colonial building along the Singapore River, near the country's historic heart, the small, well-managed exhibits at this museum focus on themes that shed light on Singapore’s pan-Asian heritage. The exhibits are built around the ancient cultures and history of China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia—the places immigrants to Singapore came from over the last 200 years. Other exhibits are also focused on the importance of the Singapore River, and those who have worked and lived by it over the centuries.  If you go late in the day, take a break at dusk and have drinks or dinner on the outdoor patio of resident restaurant Indochine and soak up the gorgeous river and skyline views as the sun sets.