A photograph of Chinatown reminded Mr Pang Choon Chew, 54, of the days when he was a child, squatting on a low stool at the roadside to eat Teochew porridge with his family.
Another photograph from The Straits Times' archives that struck a chord with him showed Chinese provision shops from decades ago.
"We used to pay 10 cents or 20 cents and get a stack of biscuits wrapped in newspaper," said the land surveyor with a smile.
Mr Pang and his family were among more than 12,000 people who have visited the Singapore STories: Then. Now. Tomorrow exhibition since it opened to the public last Friday at the ArtScience Museum.
Showcasing articles, photographs and videos by The Straits Times that chronicle local history, the free exhibition celebrates the newspaper's 170th anniversary and Singapore's Golden Jubilee.
For Mr Pang's 11-year-old son Asher, it was the interactive displays such as the 48-second video profiles of Singaporeans and a chance to write down what Singapore could be world-renowned for in 50 years' time that made an impression.
"We'll have the best food and technology in the future," he said.
Straits Times editor Warren Fernandez said: "The response to the exhibition has been very good. Many have told us that they discovered things about our country that they didn't know from the past pages of the ST. Others enjoyed reliving significant moments from our past.
"The videos, graphics, photos and interactive displays were also very popular. All of these were developed by the ST team from our multimedia newsroom, so we are happy to see people enjoying them. We hope many more will come and do so."
By looking back as far as 1845, the exhibition shows how the narrative of the future was crafted, fought for, and won by the efforts of previous generations, said ArtScience Museum executive director Honor Harger.
"We are extremely pleased to see such strong interest in this exhibition over its first opening weekend. The story told through this exhibition is an important one and all the more symbolic as it comes ahead of the nation's birthday," Ms Harger said.
By looking ahead to 2065, it also shows how the generations who will shape Singapore's future are imagining it today, she added. "We welcome even more Singaporeans and tourists to visit this free exhibition in the weeks and months ahead."
The exhibition, co-curated by The Straits Times and the ArtScience Museum, will run until Oct 4. CapitaLand is its presenting sponsor, while Standard Chartered Bank is a gold sponsor. Best Denki sponsored the exhibition's equipment.
