>
> The Straits Times, 02 June 2009
> Home <http://www.straitstimes.com/> > ST
Forum<http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/ST%2BForum.html> >
> Story
> Museum needs more space, better access
> ON May 24, a Sunday, my family and I were at the Raffles Museum of
> Biodiversity Research at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It was
> fascinating to discover that Singapore has such a wide diversity of flora
> and fauna.
>
> Due to extensive media coverage, many people were there, including old folk
> in wheelchairs and babies in strollers. Some of the older generation were
> excited to share kampung stories and their encounters with animals such as
> flying foxes and monitor lizards.
>
> However, the museum is too small for public viewing. Also, the location is
> also out of the way for most people and inaccessible to the public -
> especially for those without their own transport - as it is within NUS
> grounds. Added to that, some people had difficulty reaching the museum due
> to lack of directional signs.
>
> Guides mentioned that less than 1 per cent of the collection, which is
> mostly used for research purposes, was on display. I believe more could be
> displayed if not for space constraints.
>
> Although there were activities for children, the museum lacks the sort of
> interactivity that most museums have - for example, an electronic touch
> panel or even a video wall. There should be large and simple signs for
> children to read.
>
> The guides were wonderful in introducing us to the museum in terms of flora
> and fauna classification and diversity, as well as places to visit in
> Singapore to explore nature. However, they were pretty short-handed in
> managing guiding sessions, patrolling the specimens and helping out with
> Q&A.
>
> Singapore may have no dinosaur bones, but we have the resources to showcase
> the rich and diverse natural history of Singapore and South-east Asia.
>
> *Jaya Kumar Narayanan*
>
> Latest commentswell, at least i did not get lost.
> Posted by: jermainaw at Tue Jun 02 10:37:12 SGT 2009
> I was a visitor there too, yes, too samll.
>
> I beg to differ on some points though.
>
> The place is quite assessible even though I have no car. Just take MRT to
> clementi station, then bus 96. Then the NUS free internal shuttle bus will
> take you to science faculty.
>
> And i find the signboard quite ample too.
> Posted by: jermainaw at Tue Jun 02 10:36:38 SGT 2009
>



The Straits Times, 04 Jun 2009
http://www.straitstimes.com:80/Singapore/Story/STIStory_385554.html
Natural history needs more room
Prized exhibits are now tucked away at NUS, and space is also running out By
Victoria Vaughan
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
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.

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.

*vvaughan@...* <vvaughan@...>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]