A night view of Singapore taken from the top of the Cathay Building in circa 1945. The National Museum and the Young Men’s Christian Movement (YMCA) can be seen in the photograph. The Victorian building that houses the National Museum today (then known as the Raffles Museum and Library) was built in 1887. The YMCA, on the other hand, was opened on 16 February 1911. During the Japanese Occupation, the YMCA was turned into a Kempeitai (military police) building. Individuals who fell under suspicion were captured and taken to the YMCA, where they were interrogated and tortured. Many did not survive the ordeal.
