Children’s Museum Singapore Launches Its Latest Exhibition, LKY100 – The Boy Who Became Prime Minister

Children will discover a different side of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister’s story through murals, artefacts and programmes.

Venue: Children’s Museum Singapore (CMSG), Discovery Room
Date: now till 14 Jan 2024 (Tue to Sun, closed on Mon)
Time: 9am, 11am, 2pm & 4pm (Each visit timeslot is for 1h 45 min)
Fee:

• Singapore Citizens & PRs: Free
• Tourists & Foreign Residents: $10 (per child) | $15 (per adult)

LKY100 – The Boy Who Became Prime Minister

What were founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s growing up years like, and what did he have to overcome in order to become a man who helped build Singapore into a thriving cosmopolitan city? In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Mr Lee’s birth, Children’s Museum Singapore (CMSG) has launched its latest exhibition – LKY100 – The Boy Who Became Prime Minister – which traces the late Mr Lee’s story from his childhood to his career as a statesman, and examines the values he espoused and the legacy he left behind. The exhibition runs from now to 14 January 2024.

The exhibition seeks to deepen children’s understanding of the Singapore story through the lens of Mr Lee’s life and values, and foster a sense of pride at how far we have come. Along with his better-known achievements, children will also discover a more relatable side of Mr Lee, who grew up in the 1920s playing with gasing, marbles and fighting fish. In doing so, the exhibition also aims to show that young people can have big dreams and can make a difference in their communities and nation.

Here's taking a closer look at what your little ones can expect from this exhibition:

Artefact Highlights

The exhibition is located in CMSG’s Discovery Room. It welcomes visitors with the Cabinet of Curiosity, where an array of artefacts tell stories of different periods in Mr Lee’s life.

Some of these artefact highlights include:

Tennis Racket presented to Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1973)

Collection of the National Museum of Singapore Donated by President’s Office

Mr Lee Kuan Yew was health conscious and led a healthy lifestyle. Even when he was a young boy in school, he used to swim, cycle, and play tennis, and other games. A wooden tennis racket presented to Mr Lee will be on display.

Mrs Lee Kuan Yew’s Barrister Wig (1949)

Collection of the National Museum of Singapore

Black robes and white wigs worn in British courtrooms are iconic symbols of the law. On display at the exhibition is Mdm Kwa Geok Choo’s barrister wig. Mdm Kwa was a lawyer and the wife of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and the mother of current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s Pelikan Ballpoint Pen and Fountain Pen (1950s to 2000s)

Collection of National Museum of Singapore.
Gift of Lee Hsien Loong

As the Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew had to write and sign many documents. He once kept this ballpoint pen and fountain pen in the drawer of his office desk.

Shoe and Shoe moulds from Lee Hoi Wah Shoes (1980s to 1990s)

Collection of Lee Hoi Wah

Mr Lee was a man of simple tastes, and it showed in the way he dressed. He would order the same pair of formal shoes made of soft black leather from Lee Hoi Wah. The first moulds of Mr Lee’s feet are still in the store and are on loan for the exhibition.

School Registry of Telok Kurau East School (now Telok Kurau Primary School) (1926 to 1941)

Collection of Telok Kurau Primary School

A Telok Kurau East School admission register bearing Mr Lee’s English name, “Lee Harry.” He attended the school from 1930 to 1935.

Mural Walls & A “Quotes Mirror”

Photo Credits: Children’s Museum Singapore

Young visitors can also enjoy mural walls which juxtapose milestones in Mr Lee’s life and career against Singapore’s development, and also contemplate and pose with some of Mr Lee’s famous sayings in a “quotes mirror”.

To complement LKY100 – The Boy Who Became Prime Minister, CMSG will also present a series of programmes, such as:

Workshops

Glue-Making Workshop: I Can Be a Little Innovator

Venue: Discovery Room, Children’s Museum Singapore (Level 2)
Date: 16 Sep & 21 Oct 2023
Time: 11am to 12pm & 2pm to 3pm
Fee: $15 per child, with 1 free accompanying adult

Learn how to make your own batch of glue and find out about the science behind the process! Discover a lesser-known fact about Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s life and learn that a little innovation can work wonders, even in the hardest of times. This workshop is a collaboration with KidsSTOP, Science Centre Singapore.

Recommended age: 4 to 6 years old

Dramatised Storytelling, Performance and Craft Workshop: Sam’s Little Red Box 

Venue: Discovery Room, Children’s Museum Singapore (Level 2)
Date: 16 & 17 Sep 2023 | 21 & 22 Oct 2023 | 25, 26 & 30 Nov 2023 | 1 & 2 Dec 2023
Time: 4pm to 5pm
Fee: $18 per child, with 1 free accompanying adult

Take a peek into Sam’s little red box and discover stories of how one man’s dreams and vision shaped Singapore. Join Sam in envisioning your very own Singapore of the future by creating a diorama that represents your dreams for our nation!

Sam’s Little Red Box is a dramatised storytelling performance and craft session created by Zip Zap Zoom Collective to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s birth.

Recommended age: 5 to 12 years old 

Craft Workshop: Little Red Dot – Mystery Box Challenge 

Venue: Discovery Room, Children’s Museum Singapore (Level 2)
Date: 17 Sep 2023 | 22 Oct 2023 | 25, 26 & 30 Nov 2023 | 1 & 2 Dec 2023
Time: 2pm to 3pm
Fee: $12 per child, with 1 free accompanying adult

Celebrate the beauty of Singapore, also known as the little red dot, and unleash your creativity in this Mystery Box Challenge! Create your very own masterpiece, inspired by the exhibition “The Boy Who Became Prime Minister”, with a mystery box of loose craft materials supported by Preschool Market. Redeem a token after completing your challenge!

Recommended age: 5 to 12 years old 

Self-Guided Booklet: Little Me, Big Dreams – Exploration Trail 

Venue: Discovery Room, Children’s Museum Singapore (Level 2)
Date: 17 Sep 2023 | 22 Oct 2023 | 25, 26 & 30 Nov 2023 | 1 & 2 Dec 2023
Time: 11am to 12.45pm
Fee: $8 per child, with 1 free accompanying adult

Embark on an exciting journey with Children’s Museum Singapore mascot WonderBot to learn about the remarkable life and achievements of our first Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew! Unleash your imagination, be inspired by his legacy, and explore the endless possibilities of your own dreams. Embark on this self-guided adventure and redeem a token after completing the missions!

Recommended age: 5 to 12 years old 

Travelling Teaser Exhibition

Date: Sep 2023 to Jan 2024

In addition, an LKY100 – The Boy Who Became Prime Minister teaser exhibition with accompanying storytelling sessions will travel to selected public libraries across the island from September 2023 to January 2024. The travelling teaser exhibition will also feature artworks submitted by young creators who participated in CMSG’s Singapore Dreaming competition. The artworks depict the children’s hopes and dreams for Singapore in a comic format and selected entries will be printed on Yeo’s Soymilk vending machines in their school networks this August. Visitors to CMSG this August will also get a limited-edition packet of Yeo’s Heritage Brew Chrysanthemum Tea that commemorates the 100th anniversary of Mr Lee’s birth, while stocks last.

List Of Locations For Travelling Teaser Exhibition

• Jurong Regional Library: September 2023
• Punggol Regional Library: October 2023
• Ang Mo Kio Public Library: November 2023
• Woodlands Regional Library: December 2023
• Bedok Public Library: January 2024

Storytelling at Public Libraries

To complement the travelling exhibition, Children’s Museum Singapore (in collaboration with the Language Councils) will present a series of engaging storytelling sessions about Mr Lee Kuan Yew and nation-building themes. Session details are listed below:

• Jurong Regional Library: 16 September 2023
• Time slots: 1pm to 1.30pm & 3pm to 3.30pm
• Punggol Regional Library: 21 October 2023
• Time slots: 11am to 11.30am & 1pm to 1.30pm
• Ang Mo Kio Public Library: 18 Nov 2023
• Time slots: 11am to 11.30am & 1pm to 1.30pm
• Woodlands Regional Library: 23 December 2023
• Time slots: 1pm to 1.30pm & 3pm to 3.30pm
• Bedok Public Library: 13 January 2023
• Time slot: 3pm to 3.30pm

Ticketing & Admission Details

• Adult visitors are allowed in the museum only when accompanying a child (aged 12 years and below).
• To ensure a comfortable visitor experience, advanced online ticket reservations are required.
• All entrance tickets include admission to the Permanent Galleries and the Special Galleries.
• The exhibition will be unavailable to visitors when there are programmes held in the room. Exhibition closures will be listed on CMSG’s website.