Sports
Conquering Everest, the World’s Tallest Mountain
David Lim led the first Singapore team to successfully summit Mount Everest in 1998. This is an excerpt from his book, Mountain to Climb.
BiblioAsia Reels
The Modernist Home of Pioneer Architect Lee Kip Lin
The family home of architect Lee Kip Lin has stood the test of time with its simple and yet modern design. His wife, Mrs Lee Li-ming, shares her insights.
Music
Singapore's Got Talent: When Talentime Ruled the Airwaves
Although Talentime has been replaced by reality talent contests, it will be remembered as a show that launched the musical careers of many Singaporeans.
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BiblioAsia Reels
Operation Jaywick Retold as a Comic Book for Boys
Disguised as local fishermen, Australian and British commandos launched a clandestine raid on Japanese ships in Singapore’s Keppel Harbour.
Sports
The 1973 SEAP Games in Singapore
The 7th SEAP Games marked the first time that Singapore hosted an international sporting event since gaining independence in 1965.
BiblioAsia Reels
The Frying Pan Piano
A world-renowned pianist described this concert grand of the Victoria Memorial Hall as a "cooking pot and a frying pan". How did it have such a reputation?
Film and Photography
Restoring Classic Films from Asia
Besides restoring made-in-Singapore films, the Asian Film Archive is also involved in the preservation of other seminal Asian works.
BiblioAsia Reels
Interview with Rachel Heng, Author of The Great Reclamation
What does it take to write an internationally acclaimed historical novel set in Singapore?
podcast
What’s Become of the Seafaring Orang Seletar?
The Orang Seletar used to live on boats that plied the Johor Strait. They were here when Raffles landed in 1819.
Archaeology
Revisiting the Mystery of the Missing Gold Coins
Two ancient gold coins, probably from Aceh, were discovered in Singapore in the middle of the 19th century. Unfortunately, they disappeared a few decades later.
podcast
Lest We Forget: Kranji War Cemetery
Librarian Janice Loo profiles those buried or memorialised at the Kranji War Cemetery, such as Lt Adnan of the Malay Regiment and civilian fighter Sim Chin Foo.
Nature and the Environment
The Famous Whale Skeleton at the Raffles Museum
A blue whale skeleton took centre stage at the former Raffles Museum for more than 60 years before it was gifted to the National Museum of Malaysia in 1974.
Arts
A Grand Piano's Chequered History
A grand piano that was to be the pride of Singapore failed to silence its critics. The odds, however, were always against it.
Literature
Panton Malaijoe dan Portugees: A Rediscovered Manuscript
A forgotten manuscript found in a Portuguese museum offers insights into the languages and traditions of a unique community in the Dutch East Indies.
Food
Going Against the Grain: The “Eat More Wheat” Campaign
The call for Singaporeans to switch from eating rice to eating wheat in 1967 did not take root despite best efforts by the government.
Podcast
Stone Tools in Singapore
Stone tools have been found in and around Singapore since the late 19th century, but much about them remains a mystery.
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podcast
The Forgotten Murals of Paya Lebar Airport
Three large murals used to grace the walls of Paya Lebar Airport, depicting scenes from Singapore and Malaysia. Only one is left.
podcast
Taoist Folk Goddesses of Singapore
Award-winning writer Ng Yi-Sheng tells us about the legends and worship of local goddesses Maiden Lin, Maiden Lei and Maiden Huang.
Places and Buildings
Bridging Past and Present in Pasir Ris
Once dotted with plantations and mangrove swamps, Pasir Ris is today a bustling residential town with modern facilities and amenities.
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Architecture
Golden Mile Complex: Five Decades of an Architectural Icon
The collective sale and conservation of Golden Mile Complex will restore a visionary building designed for a “new look Singapore” 50 years ago.
Culture
Muhammad Ariff Ahmad’s Hari Raya Puasa Greeting Cards
Unique greeting cards collected by a giant in the Malay literary scene. (From the National Library’s Blog on Medium).
Places and Buildings
A History of The Padang
Kevin Tan looks at what makes the 4.3-hectare patch of green in front of the former City Hall building so special.
Places and Buildings
Which Was Singapore's First Courthouse?
Singapore’s former Parliament building, known today as The Arts House, was used as a courthouse from 1828 to 1939.
Culture
Portugal's Linguistic Legacy in Southeast Asia
While Portugal may not have had a large presence in this region, remnants of the Portuguese language continue to linger on, in some places more than others.
Leisure
Singapore’s Public Bathhouses of the 1880s
Three public bathhouses at Ellenborough Market, Canton Street and Clyde Terrace were built by the Municipality in the late 19th century.
Sports
Khoo Hooi Hye, Lim Bong Soo and the Heyday of Malayan Tennis
Two remarkable athletes served up a storm to make Malaya a tennis power to contend with during the interwar years.
War
In Their Own Voices: Preparing for War in Singapore
Before the fall of Singapore in 1942, people stocked up on food, built air raid shelters and volunteered in civil defence units.
Culture
Maiden Lim and Her Sisters: Taoist Folk Goddesses of S'pore
The local Taoist pantheon includes goddesses only found in Singapore, such as Lin Guniang, Lei Niangniang and Huang Guniang.
Places
“Book City” in Two Streets: Postwar Chinese Bookstore Scene
Some Chinese bookstores in Singapore have managed to survive despite the challenges of the digital age and the decline in Chinese readers.
war
Cold War Rivalries in Singapore in the 1940s and 1950s
In the post-World War II period, Singapore was a battleground for ideological competition between the Soviet Union and China, and the US and UK.
Culture
The Divine Lance: Thaipusam and Murugan Worship in Singapore
Thaipusam speaks of a migratory community that carries its deep-rooted cultural tradition wherever its people go.
Governance
The Making of the Monetary Authority of Singapore
While the Monetary Authority of Singapore was established in 1971, it only became a full-fledged central bank some 30 years later.
Places and Buildings
Union Book Stands Tall At 70
Located in Bras Basah Complex, the Chinese bookstore has played an important role in the development of the Chinese literary scene.
War
A Royal Wedding Gone Wrong
Celebrations during a royal wedding in Tanjung Pinang in 1819 led to a terrible misunderstanding that would change the course of history in Riau and Singapore.
Places
Johor at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair
The story of how Johor ended up at the Chicago World’s Fair is an unexpected twist in Malaya’s colonial past.
Food
Chinese Vegetarian Restaurants
Chinese Buddhist women set up popular vegetarian restaurants in the 1940s and '50s that met the needs of local Buddhists and also helped promote vegetarianism.
local icons
A Great Way to Fly
Established in 1972, Singapore Airlines is known for its impeccable service standards and luxurious in-flight experiences.
Video: Stories from BiblioAsia
The Poet and the Night Train
He writes Singapore’s first book-length poem, then vanishes from history. Discover how the mystery of the missing poet was solved.
