PUBLISHED ONNovember 18, 2025 10:30 AMBYEsther LamTicket bookings for The Albatross File: Singapore's Independence Declassified exhibition open today (Nov 18), the Ministry of Digital Development and Information said in a statement on Tuesday.
The permanent exhibition will offer visitors an introspective experience of the nation's defining moments, from merger to separation.
Jointly developed by the National Library Board (NLB) and MDDI to mark Singapore's 60 years of independence, it will open to the public from Dec 8 at Level 10 of the National Library Building.
Original artefacts including declassified extracts of oral histories from Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and former deputy prime minister Goh Keng Swee will be on display for the first time.
The exhibition is based on the upcoming book, The Albatross File: Inside Separation, which will also be officially launched in December, said MDDI.
The book encompasses over 500 pages 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.
The Albatross File: Singapore's Independence Declassified exhibition will feature four interactive sections — Room, Records, Atlas and Chatbook — for visitors to get an up close and personal experience with the events and people featured in the book.
Room presents a dramatised retelling of what went on behind closed doors in the year leading up to the separation from Malaysia, while Records offers audio recordings from voices of key players from their oral history interviews, official documents and handwritten notes.
Atlas will be the centrepiece of the exhibition, featuring an interactive wall that counts down the pivotal months, days and hours leading up the separation, while Chatbook allows visitors to converse with a generative AI-powered chat service, which draws insights from the book.
Calling the exhibition an "SG60 gift to the nation", NLB Chief Executive Officer Melissa Tam said the display is part of NLB's goal to "share more Singapore stories with everyone".
"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,” said Tam.
Admission to the exhibition is free but access will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For booking of tickets and more information, visit https://go.gov.sg/albatrosstickets.
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