ARMY MUSEUM TO OPEN NEXT YEAR

National Service (NS) has been a unique experience for Singaporean males for almost 40 years.

Come 2007, a new Army Museum of Singapore will preserve the heritage of the Singapore Army and honour the contributions of our soldiers and their experiences.

This morning, Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony of the museum, which will be housed in a new three-storey building constructed close to SAFTI Military Institute (SAFTI MI).

As part of the celebrations for 40 years of NS next year, the museum was one of the recommendations made by the Fourth Committee to Recognise the Contributions of Operationally Ready National Servicemen to Total Defence (RECORD IV).

In his speech, Mr Teo said: "The museum will showcase the Army's past, its present and inspire the future."

He added: "This will be a venue where Singaporeans can appreciate our Army - its heritage and the vital role the Army plays in safeguarding the security of Singapore."

The new building will resemble three rock-like structures which symbolize the Army's quest for progress, while being anchored to its mission.

The Army Museum was designed by Miss Pauline Ang from the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA). She and her team had to bear in mind that the design of the new Army Museum must not clash with that of the Singapore Discovery Centre and SAFTI MI.

"Furthermore, the concept is to remain close to the earth, since this is the Army Museum. Hence, the form grows literally from the ground," she explained.

The museum will feature six galleries which tell the story of NS from its early formative years to the present day. Among the exhibits will be a mock-up of a bunk in the 1970s, multimedia shows and displays of army equipment.

BG Hugh Lim, Commander TRADOC, said: "We hope to see that, when the museum is open, every Singaporean will be able to find a significant part of the Army story and put their story as part of their contribution to Singapore's defence."

"We like to see that the museum will not be a museum of artifacts, but a museum that chronicles the fighting spirit of our people and the contributions they have made to the Army and the SAF," he added.