Natural history needs more room in Singapore

Prized exhibits are now tucked away at NUS, and space is also running out
Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 4 Jun 09;

AMERICA'S Museum of Natural History has been seen by countless people thanks to two Hollywood hits, but the same cannot be said of Singapore's own prized collection hidden away at the National University of Singapore.

The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR) has the second oldest natural history collection in South-east Asia after Indonesia's Bogor Museum. It has one of the largest collections of South-east Asian flora and fauna but many of its specimens remain out of sight due to lack of space.

With about 500,000 specimens of mammal, marine, insect, reptile and plant life, the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research has one of the largest collections of South-east Asian flora and fauna. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG

Because of this, its director, Professor Peter Ng, is calling for a proper space to showcase the 500,000-strong collection of mammal, marine, insect, reptile and plant life.

Public demand for Asian natural history is high, demonstrated by 'an overwhelming turnout' at the museum's open day on May 24, according to its education and public relations officer Tan Sijie. 'There were about 2,000 people or more, which is possibly more than our usual walk-ins and school group tours for a year.'

One visitor, Mr Jaya Kumar Narayanan, highlighted the lack of space and the non-prominent location in a letter to The Straits Times' Forum page.

Singapore's founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, contributed to the collection, amassed over the last 150 years. Its oldest specimen is a Brown Flycatcher bird collected by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-founder of the theory of evolution.

However, the museum's cramped premises do not allow it to realise its full potential in education and research, says Prof Ng. At the rate specimens are coming into the centre, it will be full in five years, meaning some parts of the collection will be given away and gallery space may be further reduced, he explained.

Prof Ng is calling for the museum to have a permanent home like its former National Museum premises, where many more specimens could be put on display for visitors. 'We have an art museum, a civilisations museum, a heritage museum, but natural history is lodged in a corner of the university where no one can find it.'

The National Heritage Board (NHB) says, however, that there are no plans to move the exhibits to the National Museum. 'Apart from being a museum, RMBR also carries out academic research and conservation efforts on plants and animals both locally and in the region. This was one of the reasons why the museum was sited within the grounds of NUS,' said an NHB spokesman.

In the last four years, Prof Ng has had informal talks with the Singapore Zoo, Singapore Science Centre and National Parks Board about the possibility of setting up a National History Museum. However, he explains, the zoo's commercial interest and the centre's education focus was thought to be in conflict with RMBR's research agenda, and NParks already has its work cut out looking after plant specimens.

But there may be hope. NUS Science Faculty dean, Professor Andrew Wee, said there could be plans for a new building to house the museum at the university, together with other labs.

More links

• About the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research Public Gallery
• Toddycats! volunteers at the RMBR
• Latest news from RMBR on the RMBR news blog