The National Theatre along River Valley Road was completed in 1963 as a tribute to the attainment of self-government in Singapore in 1959. It was the largest theatre in Singapore and hosted various international performances and local events such as the National Day rallies before it was eventually demolished in 1986. The National Library Building at Stamford Road generated much controversy when it opened in 1960 due to its red-brick exterior, which was deemed then to be aesthetically unrefined. Still, the building gradually endeared itself to regular visitors to the library and the decision to demolish the structure to make way for an underpass generated much public debate. Despite calls by conservation groups to preserve the building, it was eventually demolished in 2005. The National Stadium was opened in 1973 to serve as a venue for various sporting, entertainment and national events. It has been officially closed since 2007 as plans are underway to redevelop the site into a Sports Hub. First opened as the Raffles Library and Museum in 1887, the National Museum at Stamford Road has been serving as the repository of the nation’s collective memories since 1965. Designed by architectural firm Swan and Maclaren, and completed in 1930, Meyers Chambers was an impressive building with a Corinthian facade located in the Raffles Place financial district. Named after its owner, a prominent Jewish businessman and property developer, Sir Reuben Manasseh Meyer, it was leased out to various tenants, including the Overseas Union Bank, which established its first offices on the ground floor of the building in 1949. The structure was demolished to make way for the United Overseas Bank Centre, one of the tallest buildings in Singapore when it was officially opened in 1988.
