SINGAPORE – From June 18, people can sign up for a special guided tour that tells the stories of Singapore’s founders during the country’s independence years, from the 1950s to the 1970s.

The tour will begin on the bus ride from the pickup point at an MRT station and take visitors through the Semangat yang Baru: Forging a New Singapore Spirit exhibition at the National Museum.

The exhibition, which opened in April, tells the stories of the dilemmas and decisions that residents and leaders faced in the decades before and after independence.

On display are items and stories contributed by the public and from government institutions.

The Founders’ Memorial, the tour organiser, hopes people will reflect on how the ideals Singapore was built on – such as multiculturalism, openness and boldness – remain relevant today.

“We are looking at exploring different narratives,” said Ms Grace Lau, senior manager of partnerships and engagement at the Founders’ Memorial. “And how we are doing it is through a values-based narrative.”

The Founders’ Memorial is slated to open in 2027 and will commemorate Singapore’s founders with an integrated gallery and garden experience at Bay East Garden in Gardens by the Bay.

Ms Lau said she hopes the tour can be an accessible way for Singaporeans to understand the challenges of the independence years and start conversations between different generations.

The tour guides will role-play different Singaporean personalities, such as teachers, a nurse and a retiree, to highlight different aspects of the Singapore story.

Ms Lau said they were created to make the tour more child-friendly for families with children.

The tour guides will take visitors around to see the many artefacts on display.

For example, a weighing scale that has been out of use for many years now serves as a memory of a long-gone time when live pigs were farmed in Kampong San Teng, now known as Bishan.

Pig farming in Singapore was phased out in 1984.

Another artefact is an old hawker licence issued in the 1950s by the City Council of Singapore in an effort to regulate hawkers here.

The tour will begin on the bus ride from the pick-up point at an MRT station and take visitors through the National Museum’s exhibition. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Participants who have booked tours will be picked up at different MRT stations, including Yishun, Tampines, HarbourFront, Dover and Serangoon.

The tour costs $5 per person, and includes the pickup and drop-off at the designated MRT station and a limited-edition Founders’ Memorial tote bag with snacks.

While the tours are mainly held in English, those coming in groups can e-mail the Founders’ Memorial and request tours in Mandarin, Malay or Tamil.

The tours will run until the exhibition closes on Oct 29, 2023. Singaporeans can book their tour tickets at go.gov.sg/sybbustour

The tour guides will role-play different Singaporean personalities, such as teachers, a nurse and a retiree, to highlight different aspects of the Singapore story.  ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY