The National Theatre was officially opened on 8 August 1963 to commemorate Singapore's self-government under British colonial rule. Situated on the slope of Fort Canning Park, it was the venue for various international performances, universities' convocations and the National Day rallies until it was demolished in mid-1986. Today, its former site has been marked as a Heritage Site for "signifying a spirit of self help and nationhood in the early days of nation building".
