About the series
A Reel-ly Good Story: History in Five Minutes
BiblioAsia Reels turns a BiblioAsia story into a short video. Take five to learn interesting things about Singapore history.
Newly Discovered Photos from Liu Kang’s 1952 Bali Trip
Gretchen Liu, who is Liu Kang’s daughter-in-law, sheds light on the discovery of more than 1,000 photos and negatives taken by Liu Kang during his 1952 Bali trip with three other artists.
Early Malay Comics
Malay comics first appeared as editorial cartoons in local newspapers such as Warta Jenaka and Utusan Zaman in the 1930s. These cartoons paved the way for Malay comic books in the 1950s.
Thai Buddhist Temple Wat Ananda
At Singapore's oldest Thai Buddhist temple, you'll discover elements that would not normally be found in a Buddhist temple in Thailand.
Singapore’s Early Zoos
Before the Singapore Zoo in Mandai, there were early zoos in the Botanic Gardens, Punggol, Pasir Panjang and on East Coast Road.
Pioneering Journalist R.B. Ooi
R.B. Ooi (1905-72) was one of the earliest Malayan journalists writing in English and had worked for newspapers like the Straits Echo and the Malayan Times. Irene Lim, 96, shares her memories of her father and his work.
Traditional Letterpress Printing in Singapore
Typesettingsg founder Sun Yao Yu shares more about this printing technique – once the main commercial printing method here in the 19th century.
Yip Yew Chong’s “I Paint my Singapore”
Yip Yew Chong’s masterpiece “I Paint my Singapore” captures scenes of everyday life in Singapore in the 1970s and 80s. Find out how the visual artist ensured historical accuracy in this 60-metre-long work.
Kranji War Memorial: Lest We Forget
Unveiled on 2 March 1957, the Kranji War Memorial honours over 25,000 men and women who gave up their lives in the line of duty defending Singapore during the Second World War.
Singapore’s Early Publications
Printing in Singapore dates back about 200 years when Christian missionaries established a printing press here to spread the gospel. Some of the early publications printed in Singapore include Journal of a Tour Along the Coast of Java and Bali (1830), 全人矩矱 (Quan Ren Ju Yue; 1836) and Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals; 1840).
The Story of Two Whales
The skeleton of a blue whale was once the centrepiece of the former Raffles Museum. The skeleton was gifted to the National Museum of Malaysia in 1974.
Another whale skeleton, that of an adult female sperm whale, is currently on display at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. The whale carcass was found drifting off the coast of Jurong Island in July 2015.
The Modernist Home of Pioneer Architect Lee Kip Lin
Located at 32 Binjai Park, the family home of the late architect Lee Kip Lin has stood the test of time with its simple and yet modern design. His wife, Mrs Lee Li-ming, shares some interesting features and characteristics of the house that was built in 1973.
A Clandestine Operation in Keppel Harbour
On 26 September 1943, a team of Australian and British commandos and sailors launched a daring raid on Japanese ships in Singapore’s Keppel Harbour. The covert attack, called Operation Jaywick, has been retold in a comic book titled The Victor Book for Boys: The Commandos at Singapore.
The Frying Pan Piano
The concert grand piano at the National Library Building once graced the stage of the Victoria Memorial Hall, though it was once criticised by many international pianists for its abysmal tone. Find out how it came to replace the original Steinway at the Memorial Hall, and how it ended up with such a reputation.
Professor Yu Chun Yee Performs on the Chappell Grand
Professor Yu Chun Yee previously taught at the Royal College of Music in London. At age 18, he won the prestigious Singapore Musical Society’s pianoforte competition in 1955 judged by Julius Katchen. Here, Yu plays on the recently refurbished Chappell grand once used by international pianists at the Victoria Memorial Hall. A cheaper replacement for the Memorial Hall’s old Steinway grand, the piano has a chequered historyand was widely criticised for its tone. It is now a public piano at the National Library Building.
Interview with Rachel Heng
The Great Reclamation is a work of historical fiction set in Singapore that has received rave reviews from the New Yorker and the New York Times. A coming-of-age love story, the novel took Singaporean author Rachel Heng five years of research into topics such as land reclamation, the Japanese Occupation, and postwar politics in Singapore. We speak to her about her book, her research process, and the challenges of writing historical fiction.