Places of Entertainment in the Bras Basah Bugis and Civic District Areas
Explore the history of entertainment venues in Bras Basah Bugis and the Civic District, from old cinemas to lively street scenes, using this curated resource guide.
Last updated 24 July 2026
Curiocity: Places & Perspectives
Looking at Singapore today, it is easy to forget that it was once dotted with kampungs and plantations. And as we have changed, so has our cityscape. By spotlighting selected leisure and entertainment places in downtown Singapore as well as presenting fascinating histories hidden in plain sight, Curiocity gives us an opportunity to examine the evolution of our spaces and reflect on our relationship with them.
Accessible both in-person and online, Curiocity invites you to discover, learn and engage with our island’s history through the content and collections from the National Library Board and its partners. Presented in partnership with the Light to Night Festival 2022, Curiocity: Places & Perspectives is held at the National Library Building (3 January – 3 February 2022) and across several locations in the Civic District (14 January – 3 February 2022). Find out more about the showcase at .
This resource guide has been produced to complement the main showcase ‘Encore in the City’ at the National Library Building, exploring the thematic focus of ‘Places of Entertainment in the Bras Basah Bugis and Civic District areas’.
Introduction
When it comes to entertainment today, we are spoilt for choice. We can visit a shopping mall, watch shows on our favourite streaming platforms, or scroll endlessly on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. Singapore’s early immigrants and residents, however, had few activities to occupy themselves beyond vices (such as gambling) and larger organised forms of entertainment associated with religious events. It was only in the late 19th century that entertainment in Singapore started becoming consumptive, and specific indoor entertainment spaces emerged.1
Bras Basah.Bugis and the Civic District are two of Singapore’s oldest districts and are well-known for their concentration of heritage buildings and historic places of worship. These areas were once home to entertainment venues like cinemas and theatres and even a food street that came to life at night with drag queens, singing and other revelry. These places allowed society to gather and share in laughter and happiness with fellow leisure seekers, especially at the turn of the 20th century.
1 Sai Shing Yung & Chan Kwok Bun, “Leisure, Pleasure and Consumption: Ways of Entertaining oneself,” in Past Times: A Social History of Singapore, 153-154. (Call no.: RSING 959.57 PAS -[HIS])
This guide provides resources for those who are keen to further explore this topic.
This resource guide was prepared in December 2021 by Andrea Kee, an Associate Librarian at the National Library, Singapore.
Entertainment in Singapore
Books
Millet, Raphaël. Singapore cinema. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet, 2006. (Call no.: RSING q791.43095957 MIL)
Murthy, Vidya. Entertainment, forms of leisure in Singapore, 1920s-1970s. Singapore: National Museum of Singapore, 2017. (Call no.: RSING 790.0135095957 MUR)
Yung, Sai Shing & Kwok Bun Chan. “Leisure, Pleasure and Consumption: Ways of entertaining oneself.” In Past Times: A social history of Singapore, edited by Chan, Kwok Bun & Chee Kiong Tong, 153-182. Singapore: Times Editions, 2003. (Call no.: RSING 959.57 PAS -[HIS])
Videos
Goh, Yu Mei and Michelle Heng. “Goh Yu Mei and Michelle Heng: Movie Magic!” In A Librarian’s World, 20 March 2020. YouTube video.
Bugis Street
BiblioAsia - articles
Lee, Meiyu. “Bugis Street: From Sleazy to Sanitised.” BiblioAsia 11, issue 3 (2015): 42-47.
Books
Chan, Kenneth. Yonfan's Bugis street. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2015. (Call no.: RSING 791.437209 CHA)
Newspaper articles
“Anti-vice to clean up Bugis Street.” New Nation, 22 August 1980, 5. (From NewspaperSG)
Cheah, Phillip, Lay Wah Ang & David Toh. “The street that wouldn't sleep...” Straits Times, 11 October 1985, 16. (From NewspaperSG)
Photographs
Bugis Street, 1980s: general view. 1980s. Photograph. David Loke, NL Online, National Library, Singapore.
Cathay Building
Books
Lim, Kay Tong. Cathay: 55 years of cinema. Singapore: Landmark Books for Meileen Choo, 1991. (Call no.: RSING 791.43095957 LIM)
Photographs
Cathay Building, 1941. 1941. Photograph. Chung Shui Ken, NL Online, National Library, Singapore.
Newspaper articles
“Cathay Cinema Opens Doors Tonight.” Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 3 October 1939, 5. (From NewspaperSG)
Jubilee Theatre
Photographs
Jubilee Theatre: exterior. 16 January 1983. Photograph. Lee Kip Lin Collection, NL Online, National Library, Singapore.
Newspaper articles
“Chang Wei Chung.” Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 5 December 1935, 7. (From NewspaperSG)
“Movie League for Children.” The Singapore Free Press, 6 February 1948, 5. (From NewspaperSG)
Teo, Lian Huay. “Curtains to come down on another theatre.” New Nation, 29 September 1978, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
Odeon Cinema
Singapore Infopedia - articles
Chia, Joshua Yeong Jia. “Odeon Cinema.” Singapore Infopedia. Published September 2017.
Newspaper articles
Boland, Geoffery. “This new cinema will have 'cry room,’ five bars—and 3D”. Straits Times, 29 March 1953, 11. (From NewspaperSG)
Photographs
Odeon Cinema, 1983: general view [1]. 16 January 1983. Photograph. Lee Kip Lin Collection, NL Online, National Library, Singapore.
Rex Cinema
Newspaper articles
Low, Genevieve. “The return of Rex.” TODAY, 20 April 2009, 24. (From NewspaperSG)
“New (Million Dollar) Theatre for Singapore.” Malaya Tribune, 21 May 1946, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
Tan, Catherine. “Curtains for cinema.” Straits Times, 6 November 1983, 1. (From NewspaperSG)
Photographs
MacKenzie Road, with Rex Cinema, 1982: general view. 18 July 1982. Photograph. Lee Kip Lin Collection, NL Online, National Library, Singapore.
The Capitol
BiblioAsia - articles
Tan, Bonny. "Living it up at The Capitol.” BiblioAsia 13, issue 4 (2018): 16-21.
Newspaper articles
“Today's Opening of The Capitol Theatre.” Straits Times, 22 May 1930, 16. (From NewspaperSG)
Photographs
Capitol Cinema: exterior [1]. 28 September 1982. Photograph. Lee Kip Lin Collection, NL Online, National Library, Singapore
Victoria Theatre
Books
Liu, Gretchen. In granite and chunam: The national monuments of Singapore. Singapore: Landmark Books and Preservation of Monuments Board, 1996. (Call no.: RSING 725.94095957 LIU)
Photographs
Town Hall, Singapore. 1900s. Photograph. Lim Shao Bin Collection, NL Online, National Library, Singapore.
Singapore Infopedia - articles
Tan, Bonny. “Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.” Singapore Infopedia. Published 2016.
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