This guide provides an introductory list of online databases (in addition to those provided by SUSS Library) that may be useful for student assignments and research topics concerning Singapore’s society and economy, and to a lesser extent, Southeast Asia. Click on the red keywords to access the relevant resources.

National Archives of Singapore (NAS)’ collection is predominantly government-related, and hence is a good starting point for students and researchers interested in official policy through the years. NAS’ collection also includes documents and other materials from private organisations. The primary search engine is Archives Online. The sub-fields include:

National Library Board (NLB). As part of its mission to promote reading and learning in Singapore, NLB’s broad and diverse collections range from books, newspapers and maps, to arts, music and websites, much of which are focused on Singapore and topics of interest to Singaporean society and economy. Recently, some of those collections have been digitised, and can accessed via in NLB eResources:

Other Collections

  • National Heritage Board (NHB) oversees several museums, heritage institutions and various community galleries and heritage trails. It also manages Singapore’s National Collection, which includes a broad range of artefacts that represent Singapore’s tangible and intangible heritage over time. The collection is searchable by origin and by museum / institution (which also includes the Istana Art Collection), and can be accessed here
  • National Gallery Singapore (NGS) houses over 9,000 visual artworks from Singapore and Southeast Asia, many of which are displayed in its exhibition galleries. The collection is part of the National Collection and can be accessed via Roots.sg. NGS maintains its own search engine here
  • Singapore Botanical Gardens Herbarium (SING) houses about 750,000 herbarium specimens from Singapore, Southeast Asia, and adjacent Asian regions. Its collection includes an image gallery and a map platform that shows the origins of herbarium specimens.
  • Esplanade Offstage is a useful online resource for those interested in knowing more about the performing arts in Singapore and Southeast Asia, as well as the artists. It provides overviews of various art forms, as well as accompanying video / audio clips.