1926

Plans were drawn up by the Architects’ Department to build the Municipal Building.

1929

The Municipal Building was completed and declared open on 23 July 1929.

The Municipal Building, c. 1930.
Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

1935

Plans for a new Supreme Court were approved and Frank Dorrington Ward’s design for the building was unveiled to the public.

Elevation of the former Supreme Court building, 1939.
Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

1937

Governor of the Straits Settlements, Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas, laid the foundation stone of the Supreme Court building on 1 April 1937. Underneath it is a time capsule containing newspapers dated 31 March 1937 and currency from the Straits Settlements. It is due to be retrieved in the year 3000.

Foundation Stone in the former Supreme Court building.
©Tan Yih Siang

1939

Opening of the former Supreme Court building by Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas.

Exterior of the former Supreme Court building upon its completion.
Lisa Brunner Collection. Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

1942

The Japanese occupied Singapore, renaming it as Syonan. The headquarters of the Syonan Tokubetsu Shi (Municipal Administration) was set up in the Municipal Building Singapore and Supreme Court was used as the Syonan Supreme Court.

1945

Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten accepted the surrender of the Japanese forces on 12 September 1945, on behalf of the Allied forces in the City Hall building.

Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten reads the order of the day about the Japanese surrender from the steps of the Municipal Building (12 Sept 1945).
Courtesy of Image Bank WW2 – NIOD

1951

Singapore was declared a City and the Municipal Building was renamed the City Hall building.

1959

The then-Prime Minister Lee and members of his Cabinet took their Oaths of Allegiance and Oaths of Office on 5 June 1959 in the City Hall Chamber.

Lai Kui Fang. Swearing-in of Lee Kuan Yew as Prime Minister of Singapore on 5 June 1959.
1994. Oil on canvas, 216 x 306 cm.
Collection of National Museum of Singapore. Courtesy of the National Heritage Board.

Yusof Bin Ishak was inaugurated as Singapore's first head of State in the City Hall Chamber on 3 December 1959. Singapore's national flag and anthem were unveiled on this day.

Swearing-in of the first locally-born Yang Di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore Yusof Bin Ishak at City Hall.
Ministry of Information and The Arts Collection,
Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Scene before the swearing-in at the installation ceremony in the City Hall Chamber on 3 December 1959.
Yusof Ishak Collection, Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

The newly-installed Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Yusof Ishak, the Cabinet and Assembly Members during the launch of National Loyalty Week and state anthem "Majulah Singapura" at the City Hall steps. "Majulah Singapura" later became the national anthem in 1965.
Yusof Ishak Collection, Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

The offices of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Culture were set up in the City Hall building.

1963

Wee Chong Jin was appointed the first Asian Chief Justice of Singapore, a milestone in Singapore’s judicial history where his predecessors had been British.

1971

Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew moved part of his office and the whole of the Cabinet office from City Hall building to the Istana annex. Foreign Minister Sinnathamby Rajaratnam took over Mr Lee’s office.

1986

Additional courtrooms were constructed in the City Hall building to accommodate the increased workload of the Supreme Court.

1990

Wee Chong Jin retired as Chief Justice and Yong Pung How was appointed as the new Head of Judiciary

1992

City Hall and former Supreme Court buildings were declared National Monuments.

2005

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced at the National Day Rally Speech, that City Hall and former Supreme Court buildings would be converted into the new National Gallery Singapore.

Former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings prior to the renovation works to become National Gallery Singapore.

The Supreme Court moved to a new building, costing $208 million. This was designed by Lord Norman Foster and had 12 civil courts, eight criminal courts and three appellate courts.

2007

A two-stage international architectural design competition for the National Gallery was launched.

There were a total of 111 entries from 29 countries worldwide. Five proposals were shortlisted at the end of Stage 1. The top three winning schemes for the competition were announced on 29 August 2007.

A public exhibition was held on October 2007.

Call for entry for the Architectural Design Competition.

2008

Studio Milou Architecture from France in collaboration with CPG Consultants Pte Ltd was selected as the winning entry for the architectural design competition.

Artist's impression of National Gallery Singapore.
©studioMilou Singapore 2013 / National Gallery Singapore

2010

Takenaka-Singapore Piling Joint Venture (TCSP) was appointed as the main construction contractor for the project.

Two archaeological digs were held on the site of National Gallery Singapore. The digs uncovered artefacts from the 14^th to the 19^th centuries, shedding light on the rich trade networks and livelihoods of the past.

Bodhisattva Figurine in Royal Pose, Qing Bai Procelain, Yuan Dynasty, 14th century.
Collection of National Museum of Singapore.

Toothpaste Lid, Great Britain, last quarter 19th century.
Collection of National Museum of Singapore.