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Raffles' Letters Exhibition: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

  • The Raffles' Letters exhibition features some 19 never-before-seen handwritten letters from Singapore's founder, which reveal important insights to his founding of the nation-state. The exhibition is on now till the end of February next year. (Yahoo! photo)
    1/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    The Raffles' Letters exhibition features some 19 never-before-seen handwritten letters from Singapore's founder, which reveal important insights to his founding of the nation-state. The exhibition is on now till the end of February next year. (Yahoo! photo)
  • View of the exhibition layout from the entrance. To the left and right are eight panels introducing some of the key players involved in Raffles' founding of Singapore, and they make way for four large chambers of documents, pictures and artefacts from the National Library, National Museum and the Bute Collection from Scotland. (Photo courtesy of the NLB)
    2/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    View of the exhibition layout from the entrance. To the left and right are eight panels introducing some of the key players involved in Raffles' founding of Singapore, and they make way for four large chambers of documents, pictures and artefacts from the National Library, National Museum and the Bute Collection from Scotland. (Photo courtesy of the NLB)
  • (From left) Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles and his circle, and Minister for Communication, Information and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim break the seal of the envelope launching the exhibition, as President of the Singapore Heritage Society Dahlia Shamsuddin and NLB CEO Elaine Ng look on. (Yahoo! photo)
    3/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    (From left) Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles and his circle, and Minister for Communication, Information and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim break the seal of the envelope launching the exhibition, as President of the Singapore Heritage Society Dahlia Shamsuddin and NLB CEO Elaine Ng look on. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim receives a book compilation of Raffles' letters from Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles, as NLB CEO Elaine Ng looks on. (Yahoo! photo)
    4/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim receives a book compilation of Raffles' letters from Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles, as NLB CEO Elaine Ng looks on. (Yahoo! photo)
  • (From left) Singapore Heritage Society president Ms Dahlia Shamsuddin, Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim and NLB CEO Elaine Ng pose for a group photo with exhibition curators Dr Kevin Tan and Mr Lim Chen Sian. (Yahoo! photo)
    5/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    (From left) Singapore Heritage Society president Ms Dahlia Shamsuddin, Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim and NLB CEO Elaine Ng pose for a group photo with exhibition curators Dr Kevin Tan and Mr Lim Chen Sian. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Several of Raffles' handwritten letters on display at the exhibition. Each letter is sandwiched in archival mylar, framed in acid-free mounting boards and mounted on acrylic dowels. (Yahoo! photo)
    6/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Several of Raffles' handwritten letters on display at the exhibition. Each letter is sandwiched in archival mylar, framed in acid-free mounting boards and mounted on acrylic dowels. (Yahoo! photo)
  • The letters are accompanied by sections of background information detailing the context behind which each of the displayed letters was written. (Yahoo! photo)
    7/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    The letters are accompanied by sections of background information detailing the context behind which each of the displayed letters was written. (Yahoo! photo)
  • In a letter to Colonel James Young, Raffles complains about the lack of cooperation he faces with British forces stationed in Penang, who feared they would lose hold of the power they wielded. (Yahoo! photo)
    8/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    In a letter to Colonel James Young, Raffles complains about the lack of cooperation he faces with British forces stationed in Penang, who feared they would lose hold of the power they wielded. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Two of the 20 letters that were handwritten by Sir Stamford Raffles on display in the exhibition. Their digital transcriptions are accessible below them on iPads. (Yahoo! photo)
    9/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Two of the 20 letters that were handwritten by Sir Stamford Raffles on display in the exhibition. Their digital transcriptions are accessible below them on iPads. (Yahoo! photo)
  • A visitor examines some of Raffles' handwritten letters on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo/Jeanette Tan)
    10/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    A visitor examines some of Raffles' handwritten letters on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo/Jeanette Tan)
  • One of the four chambers explores how town planning was initially done in Singapore in the early 1920s, with pictures, maps and background information. The Bute Map is also in this room. (Yahoo! photo/Jeanette Tan)
    11/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    One of the four chambers explores how town planning was initially done in Singapore in the early 1920s, with pictures, maps and background information. The Bute Map is also in this room. (Yahoo! photo/Jeanette Tan)
  • The digital transcriptions of Raffles' letters are captured in the iBooks app on iPads placed beneath the actual letters in the exhibition. Transcriptions of the letters are also reproduced in printed descriptions below the actual handwritten letters. (Yahoo! photo)
    12/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    The digital transcriptions of Raffles' letters are captured in the iBooks app on iPads placed beneath the actual letters in the exhibition. Transcriptions of the letters are also reproduced in printed descriptions below the actual handwritten letters. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Visitors to the exhibition reading some of the handwritten letters on display. (Yahoo! photo)
    13/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Visitors to the exhibition reading some of the handwritten letters on display. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Rare books pertaining to Raffles and his career, from the National Library's Rare Books collection, are also on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
    14/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Rare books pertaining to Raffles and his career, from the National Library's Rare Books collection, are also on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Rare books pertaining to Raffles and his career, from the National Library's Rare Book collection, are also on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
    15/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Rare books pertaining to Raffles and his career, from the National Library's Rare Book collection, are also on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
  • This book, in particular, was presented by Raffles to his cousin, Reverend Thomas Raffles, whom people often confused for Raffles himself. (Yahoo! photo)
    16/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    This book, in particular, was presented by Raffles to his cousin, Reverend Thomas Raffles, whom people often confused for Raffles himself. (Yahoo! photo)
  • At the end of the exhibition space is the replica of the bust of Sir Stamford Raffles (that was made by the famous sculptor Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey), flanked by decorative stone pillars. (Yahoo! photo)
    17/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    At the end of the exhibition space is the replica of the bust of Sir Stamford Raffles (that was made by the famous sculptor Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey), flanked by decorative stone pillars. (Yahoo! photo)
  • A closeup of the replica of the Sir Stamford Raffles bust in the exhibition. The original bust was sculpted by Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey, who died in 1841. (Yahoo! photo)
    18/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    A closeup of the replica of the Sir Stamford Raffles bust in the exhibition. The original bust was sculpted by Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey, who died in 1841. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Visitors looking at the books on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
    19/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Visitors looking at the books on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
  • A visitor reads more about some of the key characters involved in the founding of Singapore. (Yahoo! photo)
    20/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    A visitor reads more about some of the key characters involved in the founding of Singapore. (Yahoo! photo)
  • The name and portrait of each character is accompanied by a short description about his or her role in Raffles' founding of the country. (Yahoo! photo)
    21/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    The name and portrait of each character is accompanied by a short description about his or her role in Raffles' founding of the country. (Yahoo! photo)
  • More of the key people involved in Raffles' founding of Singapore--starting, of course, with Raffles himself, and including the Marquess of Hastings. (Yahoo! photo)
    22/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    More of the key people involved in Raffles' founding of Singapore--starting, of course, with Raffles himself, and including the Marquess of Hastings. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Guides from the National Library demonstrate the workings of the digital copies of Raffles' preserved letters in e-books. (Yahoo! photo)
    23/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Guides from the National Library demonstrate the workings of the digital copies of Raffles' preserved letters in e-books. (Yahoo! photo)
  • Library books on Raffles' founding of Singapore on display. (Yahoo! photo)
    24/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    Library books on Raffles' founding of Singapore on display. (Yahoo! photo)
  • The touch-screen wall showing various digitised copies of books about Raffles, with one of the copies opened on the right side. (Yahoo! photo)
    25/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    The touch-screen wall showing various digitised copies of books about Raffles, with one of the copies opened on the right side. (Yahoo! photo)
  • A closer look at one of the opened e-books on the touch-screen wall. (Yahoo! photo)
    26/26

    Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the founding of Singapore

    A closer look at one of the opened e-books on the touch-screen wall. (Yahoo! photo)
The Raffles' Letters exhibition features some 19 never-before-seen handwritten letters from Singapore's founder, which reveal important insights to his founding of the nation-state. The exhibition is on now till the end of February next year. (Yahoo! photo)
View of the exhibition layout from the entrance. To the left and right are eight panels introducing some of the key players involved in Raffles' founding of Singapore, and they make way for four large chambers of documents, pictures and artefacts from the National Library, National Museum and the Bute Collection from Scotland. (Photo courtesy of the NLB)
(From left) Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles and his circle, and Minister for Communication, Information and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim break the seal of the envelope launching the exhibition, as President of the Singapore Heritage Society Dahlia Shamsuddin and NLB CEO Elaine Ng look on. (Yahoo! photo)
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim receives a book compilation of Raffles' letters from Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles, as NLB CEO Elaine Ng looks on. (Yahoo! photo)
(From left) Singapore Heritage Society president Ms Dahlia Shamsuddin, Dr John Bastin, leading scholar on Raffles, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim and NLB CEO Elaine Ng pose for a group photo with exhibition curators Dr Kevin Tan and Mr Lim Chen Sian. (Yahoo! photo)
Several of Raffles' handwritten letters on display at the exhibition. Each letter is sandwiched in archival mylar, framed in acid-free mounting boards and mounted on acrylic dowels. (Yahoo! photo)
The letters are accompanied by sections of background information detailing the context behind which each of the displayed letters was written. (Yahoo! photo)
In a letter to Colonel James Young, Raffles complains about the lack of cooperation he faces with British forces stationed in Penang, who feared they would lose hold of the power they wielded. (Yahoo! photo)
Two of the 20 letters that were handwritten by Sir Stamford Raffles on display in the exhibition. Their digital transcriptions are accessible below them on iPads. (Yahoo! photo)
A visitor examines some of Raffles' handwritten letters on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo/Jeanette Tan)
One of the four chambers explores how town planning was initially done in Singapore in the early 1920s, with pictures, maps and background information. The Bute Map is also in this room. (Yahoo! photo/Jeanette Tan)
The digital transcriptions of Raffles' letters are captured in the iBooks app on iPads placed beneath the actual letters in the exhibition. Transcriptions of the letters are also reproduced in printed descriptions below the actual handwritten letters. (Yahoo! photo)
Visitors to the exhibition reading some of the handwritten letters on display. (Yahoo! photo)
Rare books pertaining to Raffles and his career, from the National Library's Rare Books collection, are also on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
Rare books pertaining to Raffles and his career, from the National Library's Rare Book collection, are also on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
This book, in particular, was presented by Raffles to his cousin, Reverend Thomas Raffles, whom people often confused for Raffles himself. (Yahoo! photo)
At the end of the exhibition space is the replica of the bust of Sir Stamford Raffles (that was made by the famous sculptor Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey), flanked by decorative stone pillars. (Yahoo! photo)
A closeup of the replica of the Sir Stamford Raffles bust in the exhibition. The original bust was sculpted by Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey, who died in 1841. (Yahoo! photo)
Visitors looking at the books on display at the exhibition. (Yahoo! photo)
A visitor reads more about some of the key characters involved in the founding of Singapore. (Yahoo! photo)
The name and portrait of each character is accompanied by a short description about his or her role in Raffles' founding of the country. (Yahoo! photo)
More of the key people involved in Raffles' founding of Singapore--starting, of course, with Raffles himself, and including the Marquess of Hastings. (Yahoo! photo)
Guides from the National Library demonstrate the workings of the digital copies of Raffles' preserved letters in e-books. (Yahoo! photo)
Library books on Raffles' founding of Singapore on display. (Yahoo! photo)
The touch-screen wall showing various digitised copies of books about Raffles, with one of the copies opened on the right side. (Yahoo! photo)
A closer look at one of the opened e-books on the touch-screen wall. (Yahoo! photo)

"Raffles' Letters" is a new exhibition at the 10th floor gallery of the National Library Building, featuring never-before-seen handwritten letters by Singapore's founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, during the time the country was officially founded. The letters give insight to the challenges Raffles had to overcome in Singapore's earliest years, and will be on till end February next year. Click here for more details, and here for Raffles' Facebook page.