OFF/ON: Everyday Technology that Changed our Lives, 1970s – 2000s

Just a few decades ago, it was still common to complete an assignment using pen and paper instead of a computer, and to play with physical toys rather than a handheld device. Fast forward to today, where technology now plays an indispensable role in our daily lives, and pivotally transformed the ways in which we live, work, play and socialise. We are more “switched on” today than ever, and connected to a vast network of technology and gadgets than we could have possibly imagined back then.

Step into this immersive showcase and explore how everyday technological tools changed and shaped the lives of Singaporeans from the 1970s to 2000s. Set against the backdrop of the nation’s industrialisation and rapid transformation period, the showcase takes visitors through familiar local settings at home, work and other social spaces with a small, yet specially curated selection of technology icons from Singapore’s past. These include the typewriter and personal computer, as well as telecommunications and entertainment devices such as the payphone, pager and the technicolour television set. Visitors can look forward to getting to know and reconnecting with some of these technologies, through several themed installations with complementary gamified experiences including an escape room activity.

Presented as part of the National Museum’s Collecting Contemporary Singapore initiative that aims to broaden the museum’s efforts in documenting diverse perspectives of contemporary Singapore, this showcase encourages visitors to reflect on how technology has made an indelible mark on their everyday life. Residents in Singapore are also invited to contribute their memories and objects relating to the theme of technology up to the present day, and how it has played an important role in their lives.