Early Founders Memorial Stone, Memorial monument at National Archives Building, Singapore
The Early Founders Memorial Stone is a granite block resting on a pyramid-shaped brick base at the National Archives of Singapore. Its surface displays inscriptions in four languages honoring the early immigrants who built the city.
The foundation stone was placed at Collyer Quay Street in 1970 by President Yusof Ishak to honor early immigrants. It was moved in 2000 and returned to the National Archives in 2010 after temporary relocation.
The stone carries inscriptions in English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil, reflecting the different communities that shaped Singapore's early development. Walking around it, you can see how language itself marks the island's multicultural roots.
The stone is located outdoors at the National Archives of Singapore and is easy to reach on foot. Its simple and modest size means you should look carefully to spot it among the building surroundings.
The original design was meant to be more ambitious, but a design competition with 38 entries failed to produce a winner, resulting in this simple stone form. This unexpected outcome made it a modest yet meaningful tribute to the city's founders.
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