The oldest performing arts venue in Singapore, Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall comprises two buildings joined by a clock tower.
Victoria Theatre, completed in 1862, originally started as the Town Hall. Built with funds from the British administration and public donations, the Town Hall comprised a theatre, municipal offices and a room for socialising. For years, it was the centre of social life and entertainment in Singapore.
Victoria Concert Hall and the adjoining clock tower were built in 1905. Originally called Victoria Memorial Hall in memory of Queen Victoria who had passed away in 1901, the building was also constructed using municipal funds and public donations. The balance from the funds was used to remodel Town Hall into a new theatre with a façade to match the memorial hall. The renovation was completed in 1909, and the Town Hall was renamed Victoria Theatre.
Aside from its entertainment function, the two buildings were also where historic events unfolded in the post-war years, including the trials for Japanese war crimes, the first meeting of the Rendel Commission in 1953 to review the constitution of the colony of Singapore, and the inaugural meeting of the People’s Action Party in 1954. In 1980, the hall was reopened as Victoria Concert Hall after extensive refurbishment.
Gazetted as a National Monument in 1992, Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall underwent renovations from 2010 to 2014 to upgrade its facilities. It continues to be a major centre for arts and culture today and is home to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
