Accidental Tourist - Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research

This post is about a trip down to the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research which is now housed in National University of Singapore.

Firstly, it’s not easy getting there (even though I am a Singaporean and supposed to know the way around my little island). Secondly, the display is a bit morbid (preserved animal specimens no less). Thirdly, it’s one of a kind in Singapore. Pity that it is not really that accessible to the general public as it’s only open from Mondays to Fridays working hours and closed for Saturdays, Sundays and Public holidays. Thankfully, it is reported that the Museum will be moving to another new building in 2014 – hopefully, it will be more accessible at the new location.

Here’s what I extracted out from a ChannelNews Asia article in July 2010 about this museum:

“The museum is the custodian of one of the earliest natural history collections in Southeast Asia.

The 160-year-old collection was inherited from the then Raffles Museum and Library at Stamford Road in the 1970s, after the museum was renamed the National Museum and refocused its attention on the arts and history.

Over the past 40 years, the collection has grown to more than 566,000 specimens.

Today, NUS said the museum is the leading biodiversity research centre in Southeast Asia.”

My 2 photos:

1^st photo shows a picture of some of the biggest preserved specimens at the Museum – this photo shows the fox, turtle & tiger most clearly. I recall some of these specimens are some 100 years old.

The 2^nd photo of the rhino head was displayed since 1900.

Until my next foray to places I have never been in Singapore, onto the world and beyond!