On 30 August 2024, Friday, the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) and the Embassy of Ireland in Singapore had the pleasure of launching the Museum’s newly published booklet, ‘Singapore at The Dead Zoo: Celebrating Fifty Years of Ireland-Singapore ties’ at the Embassy of Ireland, Singapore! The book is compiled by the SIGNIFY (Singapore in Global Natural History Museums Information Facility) team who have been traveling to museums worldwide digitising and documenting historically important specimens that were collected from Singapore over the last 200 years.

The launch celebrated the 50-year anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Singapore and commemorated the National Museum of Ireland—Natural History (NMINH), which had temporarily closed its doors on 2 September 2024 for renovation works. 

About ‘Singapore at The Dead Zoo: Celebrating Fifty Years of Ireland-Singapore ties’ 

The booklet features zoological specimens originating from Singapore that are housed in NMINH, and the people involved in the collections and their journeys across the world, symbolising the deep ties and histories shared between Singapore and Ireland. 

The SIGNIFY team visited NMINH, also known to generations of Dubliners as ‘The Dead Zoo’ for its many taxidermy specimens on display in its public gallery, in November 2023 to digitise specimens there.  

In the two weeks that the team spent in NMINH, they worked closely with the curatorial team and managed to locate and digitise more than 200 specimens collected from Singapore. This included a variety of groups such as birds, insects, mammals, molluscs, fishes, reptiles, and spiders.  

Of particular significance are the spider type specimens collected by Thomas Workman (an Irish arachnologist well-known for his work in what is now Singapore and Malaysia), materials from William Traill (who published the first comprehensive checklist of molluscs in Singapore), and the first Singapore record of the very rare Selangor mud snake (with only nine specimens known worldwide). 

Launch of ‘Singapore at The Dead Zoo’ 

The booklet launch took place at the Embassy of Ireland in Singapore, where attendees gathered to witness the unveiling of the booklet. Ambassador of Ireland to Singapore, Her Excellency Ms Sarah McGrath kicked off the launch with her opening speech.  

Following her speech, Associate Professor Darren Yeo, Head of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, shared about the close connections between Singapore and Ireland.  

“Like the SIGNIFY project, Singapore at The Dead Zoo is more than an album of images and descriptions; it is a celebration of the connections between our institutions and our countries,” he explained. “The short stories in the booklet portray not just biodiversity in Singapore, but also related scientific and historical ties between our countries. It is a reminder that while these specimens are housed physically 11,000 km away, they remain an integral part of Singapore’s natural history.” 

Mr Paolo Viscardi, Keeper at the National Museum of Ireland—Natural History, also graced the event with his presence virtually through a pre-recorded speech. He spoke of his pleasant experience working with the SIGNIFY team when they had visited, and the effort that went into producing the booklet together. 

Manager of SIGNIFY, Ms Lydia Gan, also addressed the booklet’s role in symbolising Ireland-Singapore relations. 

“The title ‘Singapore at The Dead Zoo’ perfectly encapsulates the intention of the booklet. It represents a connection on several layers––firstly, with the Singapore specimens currently housed in The Dead Zoo, and secondly, with us tracing their footsteps and attempting to uncover how they ended up in Dublin,” Lydia explained. “Importantly, it drives the message that Singapore remains very much connected to Ireland, even today.”   

The event concluded with a closing address by HE Ms Sarah McGrath. Following the address, attendees had the opportunity to network and engage over a selection of light refreshments and beverages. 

The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum would like to thank the Embassy of Ireland and HE Ms Sarah McGrath for the successful launch event. We would also like to thank the NMINH for their continued support in ensuring the booklet was a success.  

‘Singapore at the Dead Zoo: Celebrating Fifty years of Singapore-Ireland Ties’ is now available online here. Check out SIGNIFY’s website and social media platforms to follow along on their digitisation journey!