Bras Basah Complex has its roots as the center of arts and books. Established in the 1980s, the complex was a diligent host of small-scale Xinyao recitals, book fairs and art exhibitions that were immensely popular with the locals and affirmed its status as the Culture Hub of the district.
Situated right in the heart of town, the Bras Basah area was the traditional location for book stores. It came as no surprise that with its establishment, the Bras Basah Complex attracted a myriad of well-known book merchants, even those from other districts, to become tenants, bringing its reputation of being the Book City of Singapore.
