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National Library Exhibitions

About

Find out about Punggol Stories.

Last updated 13 August 2026
"Punggol Stories" text in light blue on a background gradient from blue to green with circular patterns on the right.
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  • Permanent Exhibition

  • 10:00am - 9:00pm

  • Level 1, 3, 4, Punggol Library

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Imagine Punggol when it was home to many kampongs, pig farms and a thriving seafood scene at Punggol Stories. Discover the rich tapestry of Punggol's history from the National Library Board's collections.

The Punggol Stories trail comprises Words That Move (Level 1 Stories Come Alive Room), The Lens of Literature (Level 3 Sing Lit) and an exhibition at Singaporium (Level 4) of the Punggol Library.

Download the exhibition brochure here.

Do you have a Punggol story to tell? Post them on social media using the hashtag #PunggolStories

You can also volunteer as a library guide to lead tours of the Punggol Stories trail. Sign up at www.nlb.gov.sg/volunteers/ (choose 'Punggol Library' as the venue)

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Two people look at an exhibition titled "Punggol Stories" with historical photographs, text panels, and display screens.

Singaporium

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  • Permanent Exhibition

  • 10:00 - 9:00pm

  • Level 4, Singaporium, Punggol Library

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Singaporium is a permanent exhibition space that enables NLB to bring its heritage collections closer to the community. The inaugural exhibition, Punggol Stories, presents selected stories and histories of Punggol.

Punggol Stories at Singaporium has four sections:

  • Punggol Pioneers features the start of early Punggol, from its first kampongs and plantations in the mid-1800s, to the communities that made it their home.

  • Seaside Solace celebrates the leisure activities that drew people to Punggol, especially the seafood and water sports scene that blossomed in the 1960s.

  • Farm to Fable pays tribute to Punggol's agricultural heritage, notably as the primary site of Singapore's industrialised pig farms in the 1970s and 1980s.

  • Winding Waterways charts the ebb and flow of Punggol's development, connecting it to the present day.

In the middle of the exhibition is a Memory Map, an interactive installation that features memories of historical Punggol.

Link to image credits

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Three people interact with digital screens and headphones at a literature display in a library.

The Lens of Literature

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  • Permanent Exhibition

  • 10:00 - 9:00pm

  • Level 3, Sing Lit, Punggol Library

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Can Singapore Literature give us new perspectives on our past and future?

Explore The Lens of Literature, an interactive table of curated poems, novels and short story excerpts by Singapore writers. Get creative, compose your own poem, and take it home as a digital souvenir!

Punggol Stories at The Lens of Literature looks at the changes in heartland areas like Punggol. It features literary works in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil covering four themes:

  • Balik Kampong revisits the village life and natural landscape once common in rural Singapore.

  • Life, Interrupted shows how different communities experienced the Japanese Occupation.

  • Tides of Change captures the transition from kampongs to HDB flats as the nation urbanised.

  • Our Future is Now presents speculative fiction, exploring potential changes to come.

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Children are playing in front of a wall with colorful circles displaying words like "WORDS," "PLAY," and "MOVE."

Words That Move

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  • Permanent Exhibition

  • 5:00pm - 7:00pm

  • Level 1, Stories Come Alive Room, Punggol Library

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Words That Move brings Sing Lit poems to life through beautiful animation and fun interactivity. It is a new feature unique to Punggol Library's Stories Come Alive Room.

Poems in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil are projected onto the walls with animation, light and sound effects to create an immersive experience. Visitors can tap on the poems to unlock related images.

Punggol Stories at Words That Move features four poems that highlight the experience of moving from kampongs to HDB estates:

  • Punggol by Ronald JJ Wong

  • 《组屋族》(The HDB Tribe) by 梁文福 (Liang Wern Fook)

  • Kenangan Tinggal Di Rumah Deret (Memories of Living in a Rowhouse) by Norisah A Bakar

  • நகர்வளம் (Urban Riches) by அமீருத்தீன் (Amiroudine)

Link to image credits