Galleries in the Library

Yusof Ishak in Pictures: Life and Times of Singapore’s First President

The exhibition gallery "Yusof Ishak in Pictures: Life and Times of Singapore’s First President" was officially opened by Puan Noor Aishah on 12 August 2015 as part of the Institute’s renaming ceremony. The exhibition traces the various aspects of the late President’s life through the many photographs from mainly the archives of Singapore Press Holdings Ltd (SPH) and other published sources, from his school days with the Raffles Institution, to his venture into journalism and establishing the Utusan Melayu and his brief career in the public service before he became the Head of State when Singapore became a Self-government in 1959 and later an Independent country in 1965. The exhibition ends with a section on "Remembering Yusof Ishak", highlighting his legacies and the various commemorative efforts taken to remember his lifetime achievements, leading to the renaming of ISEAS in his honour.

Wang Gungwu Collection Display Corner

Professor Wang Gungwu, former Chairman of the ISEAS Board of Trustees, donated his books on Southeast Asia and private archives to ISEAS. The collection consists of books, articles, documents, photographs, calligraphies, etc., and is housed in the ISEAS Library. The Display Corner named ‘Wang Gungwu: Historian, Humanist and Public Intellectual’ was opened by President S.R. Nathan on 23 August 2011, featuring posters and snippets of Prof Wang’s life and academic career, as well as a small selection of Prof Wang’s collection. For a list of publications in the Wang Gungwu Collection at the Library, click here.