Van Kleef Aquarium, which was located on River Valley Road, was named after a Dutchman called Karl Willem Benjamin Van Kleef. From the time it was founded in 1955, it housed 6,500 marine creatures of 180 different species. In the early years, it attracted many visitors, making it one of the most well-known aquariums in south-east Asia. However, in 1998 it was demolished as the number of visitors began to decline due to the popularity of newer attractions such as the Singapore Zoo and especially the Underwater World Aquarium in Sentosa.
