The Arts House

Public Offices, Singapore by John Turnbull Thomson 1846

The Old Parliament House

Although it has been renovated throughout the years, this is probably Singapore’s oldest surviving structure and was originally constructed around 1826. This is a sketch of the original building from 1846, when it housed government offices.

Image courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore

The Charms of the Arts House

The building originally was largely influenced by the Palladian style of architecture, introduced to Singapore from India by the British East India Company. After several rounds of renovation over many years, the building’s style is now more Neo-Classical.

This picture shows what the building looked like when it housed the Supreme Court.

Uses of the Old Parliament House

From 1875 - 1939, this building functioned as the Supreme Court. Although this building has been much altered through renovation, these grilled windows here were retained from the original building and are believed to have protected the vault space where important files were kept.

A Curious Pencil Drawing

An interesting pencil drawing on the wall next to the barred window catches your eye. It is an image of a flag, with what looks like a rock and a rose on it. Maybe it is a clue to look harder somewhere?

Kay looks at the drawing carefully. "I think this is the start of a treasure trail," he says. "The next clue will lead us to the next location, and so forth."

The Tudor Stone Rose

On the third floor landing of the building is a Tudor stone rose, given to Singapore by the British in 1955. The Tudor Rose is a heraldic emblem of England, and this rose was carved from a block of stone from Victoria Tower in the Palace of Westminister.

Commemorative Plaque

This commemorative plaque tells the story of the Assembly House and its origins.

Inspector Kay looks happier now that the first Symbol has been found. He leads the way to the Legislative Assembly House, now known as the Arts House.

"According to Professor Chronicle, this is another potential spot for the next item, but we might have to search a little harder here," he says.

Click here to investigate.