In Search of Silvestr
Sparked by a box of old family documents, Jan Beránek embarked on an eight-year quest that brought him from a small Czech village to modern Singapore to uncover the life of his granduncle who died during the Japanese invasion of Singapore.
Singapore’s Early Japanese Community on a Rare Map
A rare Japanese-English street map of Singapore tells the forgotten stories of the Japanese community in the early 20th century.
No Mere Interlude: The University of Malaya in Singapore
The University of Malaya in Singapore was a crucible for a new nation.
Watch the latest videos
Rodolfo Nolli: The Quiet Sculptor Who Shaped a City
Between the 1920s and 1950s, this Italian craftsman created a number of significant sculptural works that are still seen in Singapore today.
P. Ramlee: The Singapore Years
Through his presence and artistry, P. Ramlee captured Singapore with enduring vividness in his songs and films.
.png)
Listen to the latest podcast episodes
Architect of Separation
Rather than being unilaterally kicked out in 1965, the decision that Singapore should separate from Malaysia was a mutual one, driven in large part by the efforts of Singapore’s Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee.
Got Milk? The School Milk Scheme in Singapore
In the 1970s and 1980s, primary school children were encouraged to drink milk in school until the initiative curdled in the late 1980s.
Rediscovering Singapore Before 1800
Piecing together the Singapore narrative before Raffles is not easy but the sources are there, just waiting to be discovered.
Subscribe to the BiblioAsia Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest stories
The 1965 Singapore Agricultural Show
Initially planned to encourage people to eat more eggs, the show eventually morphed into a mega event showcasing the achievements of farmers in Singapore.
The Great Clean-up of the Singapore River
In a Podcast episode, writer Samantha Boh tells us how civil servant Lee Ek Tieng and his team overcame the challenges of cleaning up the Singapore River.
Explore our topics
What You Didn’t Know About the Straits Times
The first fake news. The illegal postwar edition. Newsmen turned presidents. The Straits Times has had an interesting 180 years.
New Books on Singapore History (Jan 2026)
A quick look at seven new books available in the National Library’s collection.
A Century of Singapore’s Cinemas
Once central to Singapore’s social and cultural life, cinemas are now more utilitarian and prosaic halls housed in shopping malls.
Painting History – One Stroke at a Time
When familiar landscapes disappear, artist Yip Yew Chong preserves them in paintings recreated from memory and archival photos.
Fridge Maker Freezes Stock Market
Pan-Electric’s enormous debts and subsequent collapse caused the Stock Exchange of Singapore to close for three days in 1985.
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic in Singapore
When influenza hit Singapore in 1918, many were sickened, hospitals were overwhelmed and everyday life was disrupted.
Echoes from the Archives: Where Memories and Mystery Meet
Where past traumas echo in oral testimonies, Tracey Morton discovers both a window into Singapore’s past and inspiration for her novel, Someone Is Coming.
In Search of Silvestr
Sparked by a box of old family documents, Jan Beránek embarked on an eight-year quest that brought him from a small Czech village to modern Singapore.
Please Fasten Your Seat Belts
How crash tests, mangled cars and grieving families drove Singapore’s battle to protect motorists’ lives.
Remembering John Norman Miksic
The “Indiana Jones” of Singapore archaeology died on 25 October 2025, aged 79.
“We Do”: Mass Weddings in Singapore
Initially inspired by the “New Life Movement” in China, couples in Singapore would opt for mass weddings to save money.
Queenstown Library, the First Branch Library
Opened in 1970 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Queenstown Library has been a landmark on Margaret Drive for more than 50 years.
A Pioneering Philanthropist: The Life of Mrs Lee Choon Guan
One of Singapore’s first women philanthropists, Mrs Lee, née Tan Teck Neo, supported a wide range of charities.
Gems in the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Collection
An 1838 land title deed for a plot of land on Telok Ayer Street bears the signature of pioneer businessman Tan Tock Seng.
The Transoceanic Pollination of the Double Coconut
In 2011, pollen from coco-de-mer trees in Singapore successfully fertilised female plants in Hawaii.
The Early History of Air Conditioning in Singapore
The humble air conditioner is an innovation that we take for granted today. But for the people of Singapore in the mid-20th century, it was a luxury.
An 800-Year-Old Family History
Thanks to his ancestry book (zupu) and a lot of persistence, a practising Taoist priest was able to trace his ancestry all the way back to 1195.
Women Photographers in Singapore and Malaya
In the male-dominated world of 1940s and 1950s photography, three women in Singapore and Malaya found different ways to participate in their craft.
How Tay Seow Huah Became the First Spy Chief of Singapore
In a BiblioAsia+ podcast episode, Simon talks about this father, the founding Director of the Security and Intelligence Division.
