Time capsules preserve history through various objects. They commemorate milestones, record precious memories, and tell forgotten stories.

Since the 19th century, there have been over 50 time capsules created in Singapore.

The oldest recorded time capsule in Singapore was buried in 1843. Among its items were newspapers, coins and a prayer booklet, serving as evidence for international trade and cultural diversity in 19th century Singapore.

Up till today, time capsules have continued to serve as glimpses into the past.

Here are some of the things you can find in time capsules of Singapore from the 1970s and 1980s.

Time capsules from the 1970s

In the post-independence period, Singapore progressed rapidly in terms of economic and scientific development.

Many objects in the time capsules from the 1970s and 1980s served to record and track Singapore's progress.

A Science Centre time capsule from 1973 contained 112 items representing contemporary local life in the 70s. Among its items were a HP-35 calculator, a black-and-white television and a Rollei camera.

These objects were at the forefront of technology in those days.

The HP-35 was the first handheld electronic calculator sold by Hewlett Packard, and was the first handheld calculator to perform logarithmic and trigonometric functions with one keystroke.

The Rollei camera's film was also in the time capsule, marking technological advancements in photography then.

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Time capsules from the 1980s

The 25 Years of National Building time capsule from 1984 had items such as an electronic memory game, telephone, phone cards and a pager.

The electronic memory game, popular in the 1970s and 1980s, was called "Super Simon." These are the game instructions:

And this is how it is played:

[video width="848" height="464" mp4="https://static.mothership.sg/1/2017/11/super-simon-1.mp4"][/video]

A phone and pager, considered to be technological advancements in communication at that time, were included in the time capsule.

Unfortunately, these items are primitive to us now.

In the 1980s, payphones were commonplace and many people owned phone cards. Phone card designs would reveal Singapore’s landmarks and pop culture at that time.

Phone cards like these could be found in the 1984 time capsule:

Today, time capsules are still being created for future generations to discover and learn more about their past.

The most recent time capsule created was for SG50, containing items like NEWater, an ERP in-vehicle unit, and an N95 mask.

You can find out more and see other items in our time capsules here, or visit the travelling exhibition at public libraries. The exhibition is currently located at Toa Payoh Public Library from November 8 to 29, 2017.

All photos taken at "Frozen in Time: Time Capsules in Singapore" exhibition, Toa Payoh Library.

Top image collage: Photos by Tanya Ong.