Singapore, 18 November 2025 – To mark Singapore’s 60 years of independence, a new permanent exhibition, The Albatross File: Singapore’s Independence Declassified invites visitors to an introspective experience of the nation’s defining moments, from merger to separation. This SG60 capstone event will offer visitors immersive storytelling, historical replays, and first-person narratives from our founding fathers and key players involved in Singapore’s journey to independence.
2. Jointly developed by NLB and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), The Albatross File: Singapore’s Independence Declassified will open to the public from 8 December 2025 at Level 10 of the National Library Building.
3. Based on the upcoming book, The Albatross File: Inside Separation, visitors to the exhibition can look forward to seeing original artefacts on display for the first time, including declassified extracts of oral histories from Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew and former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee. The book will be officially launched with the opening of the exhibition in December 2025.
Beyond the textbook: tracing the steps of our founding leaders
4. Masterfully curated by the creative team behind the ongoing SG60 flagship event, the Heart&Soul Experience and 2019’s The Bicentennial Experience, The Albatross File: Singapore’s Independence Declassified exhibition features four interactive sections for visitors to freely experience. Visitors will gain a more nuanced understanding and greater appreciation of Singapore’s journey to independence. The four sections are:
a. ROOM, a dramatised retelling of what went on behind closed doors in the year leading up to Separation, blending archival footage and oral history interviews with cinematic reenactments to bring these moments to life;
b. RECORDS, where visitors can hear the voices of key players from their oral history interviews, and examine the official documents and handwritten notes, including declassified Albatross File documents, offering an intimate perspective into the anxieties and convictions of key players involved in the Separation;
c. ATLAS, the centerpiece of the exhibition, features an interactive wall that brings visitors through a countdown of the pivotal months, days and hours leading up to Separation. Visitors can also trace the movements of key figures and watch how Separation unfolded across time and space through a dramatic set called “Spacetime Clock”; and
d. CHATBOOK, where visitors can converse with a Generative AI-powered chat service, which draws its insights from The Albatross File: Inside Separation book and the content on Singapore’s history from the National Library and the National Archives under NLB.
5. The exhibition aims to bring to life the rich content from the book, The Albatross File: Inside Separation, and create an up close and personal experience with the events and people featured in the book. At over 500 pages, the book offers an in-depth analysis of the situation and features 23 newly declassified documents, such as Cabinet papers between 1964 and 1965, secret Cabinet memos, and Dr Goh Keng Swee’s handwritten notes of his discussions with Malaysian leaders. These artefacts are among the original artefacts that can be viewed at the exhibition.
6. NLB Chief Executive Officer Melissa Tam said: “This is part of NLB’s goal, the nation’s memory institution, to share more Singapore Stories with everyone. Through the National Archives of Singapore’s hard work in collecting and preserving the Albatross File and other historical recounts, and in close partnership with various partners including media partners, we are able to present this exhibition as a SG60 gift to the nation. We hope the exhibition and book will allow Singaporeans to develop a richer understanding of the tumultuous journey our forefathers underwent during this difficult time in our nation’s history.”
Book your tickets now
7. Ticket bookings for The Albatross File: Singapore’s Independence Declassified opens to the public today. Admission is free, and access to the exhibition is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The experience is recommended for visitors aged 10 years and above. Visitors can anticipate spending about 60 minutes in the exhibition.
8. Exhibition guides will be made digitally available in Singapore’s four official languages.
9. For booking of tickets and more information, please visit https://thealbatrossfile.nlb.gov.sg. To stay updated on the latest information, follow us on NLB’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Jointly issued by NLB and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information
For media enquiries, please contact:
Olivia Kam (Ms)
Assistant Manager, Communications and Engagement Division
Ministry of Digital Development and Information
Olivia_kam@mddi.gov.sg
Ong Hui Ying (Ms)
Manager, Corporate Communications Division
NLB
Ong_hui_ying@nlb.gov.sg
About NLB
NLB nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through its network of 28 libraries, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore. NLB also forges strategic partnerships that encourage awareness, appreciation and greater discovery of Singapore's history through its rich collections in Singapore and the region.
NLB achieves excellence through innovation, focusing on citizen engagement and co-creation, resource and digital innovation. This creates learning opportunities, greater access to library resources, services, and archival collections, as well as a continual development of innovative library spaces. Established on 1 September 1995 as a statutory board, NLB is under the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI).
For more information, please visit the NLB website, and NLB’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube channels.
About The Ministry of Digital Development and Information
The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) drives Singapore’s digital development in four key domains — the economy, government, security, and society. MDDI oversees the development of the infocomm technology, cybersecurity, and media sectors; the Government’s digitalisation initiatives; and the national library, national archives, and public libraries. The Ministry is also responsible for effective public communications, and the Government’s information and public communication policies. Our mission is to engage hearts and minds and build a thriving digital future for all.