All the talk about The First Print exhibition has centred on the Sejarah Melayu. There are also other gems which are worth looking at.

Some of the other highlights at the exhibition include the book, Singapura dilanggar Todak (garfish attack on Singapore). We have all read about this during our school days – the famous but tragic story of the quick-witted boy who saved Singapore from a shoal of garfish.

Ceritera ilmu kepandaian (Stories of Knowledge and Expertise) is another rare book by Munsyi Abdullah. The publication discussed 19th century European inventions and technology, like steamships and piping systems. The book was originally meant for students in Singapore but it became so popular that it was edited and romanised for government schools in the Dutch East Indies in the mid-1860s.

There are plenty of other artefacts that retell the familiar local stories and legends of early Singapore at the exhibition – so be sure to catch them. The First Print exhibition runs until October this year.

National Library Building – 23 January to 1 April 2019
Central Public Library – 2 April to 28 April 2019
Jurong Public Library – 29 April to 30 June 2019
Tampines Regional Library – 1 July to 1 September 2019
Woodlands Regional Library – 1 September to 31 October 2019

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