21 September 2009

Old Singapore Quiz (11) - Answers


Fuzzoo, YG and Icemoon got one of two answers right, i.e. the photo is a shot of a building's ceiling. But nobody could identify the location of this building. (In this regard, I ought to apologise to Icemoon for saying that the 4 "dots" in the photo are not lights. At first I thought that they are water sprinklers but after taking a closer look at another photo, I think Icemoon was right after all - they are indeed lights - spotlights, specifically.)

So where is this place? Maybe you could tell after seeing the photo below:


Still can't? How about if I tell you that the bust is a 1973 work of Mr Wee Beng Chong? Or that the bust is that of Mr Tan Lark Sye (1897-1972)? Mr Tan was a prominent businessman and philanthropist from the Hokkien community. He was noted for his many contributions to education, not just in Singapore but in the region as well. However, his most outstanding contribution must have been the founding in 1953 of the Nanyang University or Nantah (now known as the Nanyang Technological University).


Singapore Chief Minister David Marshall accompanied by Minister for Education Chew Swee Kee and Minister for Labour Lim Yew Hock taking a tour of Nantah in the rain. David Marshall and the other ministers were met by Tan Lark Sye, Chairman of the organising committee. (Photo credit: Chinese Heritage Museum.)


Before the opening of the university, this Nantah landmark building served as an administrative office. Later, it was used as a library. (Photo credit: Chinese Heritage Museum.)


The building as it stands today.

By now, you should have an idea where I took this photo. Yes, it was taken in the Chinese Heritage Centre:


The shot was taken from the ground floor towards the ceiling, right in the middle of the octagonal air well:


The Chinese Heritage Centre is actually a museum. When I was there in early June this year, there was an exhibition titled "Chinese More Or Less - An Exhibition on Overseas Chinese Identity" running. The exhibition was supposed to answer these questions:

1. How Chinese am I?

2. In what sense am I Chinese?

3. What does it mean to be Chinese?


Did I walk away with the answers to the above questions? Er... sorry, I was more interested in taking photos.

The museum's opening hours are as follows:

Mon-Fri: 9.30am to 5pm
Sat & Sun: 10am to 5pm
Closed on Public Holidays
Admission is free

You can find out more about the Chinese Heritage Centre from the following links:

1. Chinese Heritage Centre website;

2. Visit Singapore - Chinese Heritage Museum

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Nice photograph of the central stairwell in Chinese Heritage Centre. I personally enjoyed the exhibition on Chinese More Or Less very much and it helped to give new dimensions to what being Chinese is.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Did you say I've got a lot to learn/Well don't think I'm trying not to learn/Right here is the perfect spot to learn/Teach me tonight... (Nat King Cole)

And I pass by this place a lot of times, a lot.

Victor, be my teacher!
Cheers.

Lam Chun See said...

Yes; it's a very nice photo. I have been to NTU so many times, fetching my daughter and yet I have not visited this place :(

WK Tan said...

A stamp of the Chinese Heritage Centre was issued in 2006 July,
in conjunction with the 100th
Anniversary celebrations of the
Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Lam Chun See said...

I just recalled that I put up some photos of the Nantah from 39 years ago at my blog.

L and M Pillai said...

who is the gentleman standing to the left of david Marshall