Jan–Mar 2026

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Director's Note

A Century of Singapore’s Cinemas
Once central to Singapore’s social and cultural life, cinemas went from being majestic, memorable landmarks to more utilitarian and prosaic halls housed in shopping malls. Alvin Tan . (PDF)

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. Irene Hoe. (PDF)

Wandering Wood: The Transoceanic Pollination of the Double Coconut
Male double coconut trees in Singapore were able to fertilise female trees in Hawaii, thanks to the efforts of resourceful, determined botanists. Choo Ruizhi.(PDF)

Playing It Cool: The Early History of Air Conditioning in Singapore
The humble air conditioner first came to Singapore about 100 years ago. Cows were among its beneficiaries. Fiona Williamson.(PDF)

In Search of Silvestr
The Bata Shoe Company brought Czechs to Singapore before the war. Some of them ended up fighting the Japanese in 1942. Jan Beránek.(PDF)

Please Fasten Your Seat Belts
How crash tests, mangled cars and grieving families drove Singapore’s battle to protect motorists’ lives. Sharon Teng.(PDF)

We Do: Mass Weddings in Singapore
Initially inspired by the “New Life Movement” in China, couples in Singapore opted for mass weddings to save money. Seow Peck Ngiam and Benita Lim.(PDF)

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic in Singapore
When influenza hit Singapore in 1918, many were sickened, hospitals were overwhelmed and everyday life was disrupted. Sean Hoh.(PDF)

Fridge Maker Freezes Stock Market
Pan-Electric Industries started out as Singapore’s fridge maker. However, its aggressive expansion and questionable practices led to enormous debts that caused a three-day closure of the Singapore and Kuala Lumpur stock markets in 1985. Joanna Tan.(PDF)

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. Yu-lin Ooi.(PDF)

How Tay Seow Huah Came to Be the First Spy Chief of Independent Singapore
Simon Tay recounts how his Penang-born father came to play a giant role serving a newly independent Singapore.(PDF)

Remembering John Norman Miksic
The “Indiana Jones” of Singapore archaeology died on 25 October 2025, aged 79. Kwa Chong Guan.(PDF)

New Books on Singapore History
Imperial Weather: Meteorology, Science, and the Environment in Colonial Malaya; Reimagining Singapore’s History: Essays on Pre-Colonial Roots and Modern Identity; and The Grand Mosque of Singapore: Two Centuries in the History of Masjid Sultan are some of the new books available at the National Library.(PDF)