A NEW museum showcasing the Singapore Army's history was opened by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday evening.

Housed in the SAFTI Military Institute, the Army Museum of Singapore (Arms) chronicles the rise of the Singapore Army, from a force of just two infantry battalions during Independence, to the combat-ready land force of 300,000 today.

The museum has six galleries featuring memorabilia donated by Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) National Servicemen, such as uniforms, documents and photographs, and old war machines that were once part of the army's arsenal.

Outdoor are exhibits of armoured vehicles, a landing craft and a scaled-down version of the SAF's standard obstacle course in a children's playground. The downsized obstacle course allows children to experience tackling obstacles that NSmen negotiate while on training. Entry to the museum is free.

After PM Lee opened the museum and toured the exhibits, he joined 1,200 NSmen and their families at the nearby Pasir Laba Camp for a dinner commemorating 40 years of NS.

This year is a banner year for NS -- a national institution that 700,000 Singaporean males have undergone since the first intake of full-time NSmen enlisted in August 1967.

The theme for the dinner, "Defending our Home, Securing our Future", salutes contributions of generations of NSmen in ensuring peace and prosperity for Singapore over the past 40 years.

A highlight of the dinner was presentation of the NSmen of the Year Awards.

Twelve SAF NSmen - picked by a committee chaired by SAF Chief of Defence Force - were honoured for their contributions to national defence.