SINGAPORE - Owners of national monuments will be able to access $15 million in a new tranche of funds for their restoration projects in the next five years.

The money, which will go into the National Monuments Fund, is the third tranche released by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth since the fund was introduced in 2008.

It will be made available to non-profit or religious organisations which own and manage national monuments. Application for the fund is open till 12pm on Oct 31.

The announcement on Tuesday (Oct 15) came as the National Heritage Board (NHB) gazetted three Singapore River bridges - Cavenagh, Anderson and Elgin bridges - as national monuments at an event attended by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu.

"The bridges have witnessed the progress of our nation over the past two centuries. The historic mouth of the Singapore River was the old harbour of Singapore. It is the place where many of our forefathers first set foot ashore and later made a living working in or around the port," said Ms Fu.

For the next two weeks until Oct 28, members of the public will be able to see the Singapore River bridges from a new perspective, with installations such as life-size origami boats, a tram reflective of historical modes of travel across the bridges, and an artwork that depicts the river in the past and present.

These exhibits are displayed at the NHB's Milestones Through Monuments programme launched on Tuesday. It highlights the roles national monuments played during significant periods in Singapore's history.

The new programme also commemorates Singapore's bicentennial year of Sir Stamford Raffles' arrival.

The public can visit these installations and go on walking tours that offer a glimpse of the Singapore River in the past, shed light on its lesser-known history, and tell stories about people and life along the river.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had announced on Aug 3 that the three bridges, as well as the Padang, would be gazetted as national monuments.