Tiered red and white Tang-style facade of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple under a clear blue sky

Religious site · South Bridge Road, Chinatown, Central Region

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Tang-style Buddhist temple in Chinatown housing a revered tooth relic

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Ambient sound · similar settingBuddhist temple bell tolling at Chōmei-ji

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Discover Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Rising in tiers of red pillars, white walls and sweeping tiled roofs, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is one of Chinatown's most striking buildings. Its design draws on the Buddhist mandala and on the art and architecture of China's Tang dynasty, and inside, the scent of incense and the sound of chanting set it apart from the busy street outside.

The temple was built to house a tooth relic that devotees revere as belonging to the Buddha. Visitors can see the main hall with its large Maitreya Buddha statue, a museum of Buddhist art and culture, and the relic itself, kept in a gold stupa on an upper floor. On the roof, a pagoda filled with small Buddha statues surrounds a large prayer wheel, offering a quiet retreat above Chinatown.

Don’t miss

01Hundred Dragon Hall with a large Maitreya Buddha statue flanked by bodhisattvas
02The tooth relic, displayed in a gold stupa on the fourth floor
03Nagapuspa Buddhist Culture Museum and its collection of Buddhist art
04Rooftop Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda with a large Vairocana prayer wheel
05Tiered red-and-white Tang-style facade on South Bridge Road

History & culture

The story of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

The temple's story begins with the Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple, founded by Venerable Shi Fa Zhao in 1989. In August 2002 Venerable Cakkapala entrusted the sacred tooth relic to him and urged him to build a monastery to house it. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple was registered as a society in 2003, the land lease for the South Bridge Road site was signed in January 2005, and construction began in May that year.

Difficult soil conditions delayed completion, but the temple was officially opened on 30 May 2007, with a grand consecration ceremony following in May 2008, when the relic was placed in its permanent home. The building's design follows the Buddhist mandala and Tang-era Buddhist arts, and it includes a museum of Buddhist culture with exhibits on the Buddha and his disciples.

Local life & traditions

This is an active place of worship, not only a museum. Devotees come to make offerings, pray and attend services, and major Buddhist festivals such as Vesak Day draw large crowds. The temple also runs a vegetarian dining hall, and its rules reflect Buddhist practice, including a ban on bringing non-vegetarian food inside.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Enter quietly and take time in the main hall, where you may see monks and devotees chanting. Climb to the upper floors to view the relic stupa through glass and explore the museum's displays of statues and artefacts. The rooftop garden pagoda, with its rows of small gilt Buddhas and a large prayer wheel that devotees turn, is a calm spot to finish.

The temple sits a few steps from Maxwell Food Centre and the shophouse streets of Chinatown, so it fits easily into a half-day walking tour that also takes in Sri Mariamman Temple and Jamae Mosque. Come back after dark to see the facade lit up against the city.

When to go

The temple can be visited all year. Mornings are the most peaceful time, with fewer tour groups and cooler weather for walking around Chinatown afterwards. Vesak Day, usually in May, and the Chinese New Year period are especially atmospheric but very busy. The facade is particularly photogenic in the evening once the lights come on.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Address: 288 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058840 Source: buddhatoothrelictemple.org.sg ↗
Dress code: Visitors are asked to dress respectfully: no bare backs, off-shoulder tops, shorts or mini-skirts. Source: buddhatoothrelictemple.org.sg ↗
Temple rules: Strictly no non-vegetarian food and no pets inside the temple. Source: buddhatoothrelictemple.org.sg ↗
Opened: Grand official opening on 30 May 2007; grand consecration ceremony in May 2008. Source: buddhatoothrelictemple.org.sg ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Bring a shawl or wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees; shorts and sleeveless tops are not appropriate.
Keep voices low and avoid flash photography during prayers and services.
Check current opening hours with the temple before visiting, as they were not confirmed on its website.
Pair your visit with lunch at nearby Maxwell Food Centre.
Return in the evening to photograph the illuminated facade.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum: food, markets & places to stay

Maxwell Food Centre is across the road, and Maxwell station on the Thomson-East Coast Line is close by, with Chinatown station (North East and Downtown lines) a short walk north. Sri Mariamman Temple and Jamae Mosque are further along South Bridge Road, and the shophouse streets of Chinatown and the Tanjong Pagar area surround the temple.