Let the other tourist hordes charge over to the newly minted Peranakan Museum or the gloomy Asian Civilisations Museum. If you do only one cultural thing during your 24-hour Singapore layover, it must be a tour of the unheralded Chinatown Heritage Centre, where entire sets of bedrooms, kitchens and street scenes from the late-19th century and early-20th century have been faithfully recreated. It's an authentic slice of Singapore's history that's made all the more fascinating by the gleaming skyscrapers just a few blocks away. And if you must, pick up a kitschy souvenir from the gift shop on your way out.

• 1. Peranakan Museum
  39 Armenian Street, Singapore 179941; 6332-7591 1.294356103.84941 peranakanmuseum.sg
• 2. Asian Civilisations Museum
  1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555; 65-6332-7798 1.287436103.851391 acm.org.sg