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Elias Park Primary School

Sh@pe Alive!

Explore Singapore's history and heritage at Sh@pe Alive!, an interactive gallery at Elias Park Primary School featuring dioramas, cultural exhibits, and hands-on learning stations.

Last updated 23 July 2026
Colorful text reading SH@PE Singapore Heritage at Elias Park ALIVE on a black background.
Text explaining Singapore Heritage at Elias Park logo, describing its arrow and multicolour symbolism for national education.

SH@PE Alive! reflects EPPS' commitment and emphasis in providing an exciting learning experience in the area of citizenship education that engages our children's senses and touches their hearts. At SH@PE Alive!, take a journey back in time to discover Singapore's humble beginnings and how our nation has grown to what it is today. Have a peek into our heritage, a feel of our traditions and way of life, and appreciate the different cultures that make up Singapore. 

SH@PE Alive! started off with its first Learning Centre, the Dioramas @ Elias Park, which was officially opened by Superintendent of Cluster E1, Mr Jimmy Tan, on 16 May 2005. The gallery adopted 8 of the 20 dioramas previously on display at the Singapore History Museum when she closed her doors for renovation in 2003. Elias Park Primary is proud to be the only school in Singapore housing the Dioramas from the museum.

In April 2006, the school embarked on the extension of SH@PE Alive!, which houses more exhibits acquired from the SHM. The exhibits trace an important aspect of our heritage - life in the Singapore River area in the 1800s. Housed within SH@PE Alive!, is Kopitiam Elias. It is an exciting NE/SS classroom, set amidst an old 'kopitiam' setting. There are a total of 8 Learning Stations at SH@PE.

SH@PE Gallery reflects the school's commitment and emphasis in providing an exciting learning experience in the area of citizenship education that engages our children's senses and touches their hearts. We are excited about the infinite possibilities of the gallery in our school's TLLM efforts.

Learning Centres at SH@PE Alive!
Three museum exhibits: Kopitiam Elias cafe, The Rivertales Experience with figures, and The Syonan Years with flags.
A mannequin of a Japanese soldier beside a barred cell door, and a large ancient Singapore Stone with informational signs.
Three museum mannequins depicting historical workers with baskets, heavy sacks, and a wooden boat against city backdrop displays.

Students will be able to understand that back in the 1820s, among the earliest immigrants to arrive in Singapore were the Samsui women, coolies and fishermen who performed menial jobs and engaged in hard labour with little pay.

Three panels showing a retro Kopitiam Elias cafe display with vintage furniture, old radio, signs, and a Kopi Kaki stall setup.

The kopitiam was usually owned by the Chinese. Students will be able to see and experience sitting at the round tables with marble tops and ornate chairs which depict the kopitiam theme of the past.