Specimens on Tour: Human x Nature

Singapore’s natural history can be said to have been shaped by constant efforts to understand it, exploit it, and protect or restore it.

Over two centuries, humans have sought to study the natural resources for their own interest or economic gain, razed swathes of primary forests to make way for plantation and cash crops, then later tried to strike a balance between conservation and development across Singapore’s changing landscape. Our attitudes and relationships with nature have also been affected by this history and are changing still. And at the mercy of these vying forces is the host of wildlife loved and feared by humans, some are lost to us forever.

These themes are explored in the Human x Nature: Environmental Histories of Singapore exhibition by the National Library Board which ran from 9 April to 26 September 2021. The exhibition traces the history of Singapore’s natural environment to the present-day patchwork of nature spaces, while defining how the relationships humans have with nature today are a legacy of this history.

More than 150 books, maps, manuscripts, and illustrations on Singapore’s biodiversity are on display, owing to the contributions from the National Library and National Archives of Singapore. The exhibition also includes numerous botanical and zoological specimens from the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum as well.

“We are glad to collaborate with the National Library Board to enrich the historical narrative of our relationship with Singapore’s natural environment. Our specimens support the stories and anecdotes found in the national collection of rare books and manuscripts from the past, and we hope that they will give visitors a newfound appreciation of our natural heritage,” said our Deputy head, Associate Professor Darren Yeo Chong Jinn.

We also supported the suite of virtual programmes tied to the exhibition, with several staff appearances in the web talks series, Histories. On 24 May 2021, A/P Yeo spoke about the natural history of our freshwater biodiversity in ‘Biodiversity and Conservation in Singapore’s Fresh Waters’. Our research associate Martyn Low also shared how he uncovers bits of insight into Singapore’s natural history by tracking down precious materials and documentation scattered across the world in his talk, ‘Where has Singapore Gone? (Re)Collecting the Natural History of an Island’, on 21 June 2021.

The carefully curated exhibition allows curious minds to explore how our knowledge of and experiences with nature today is shaped by our past. Catch the tail end of this exhibition till 26 September 2021 at the National Library Building (Level 10 Gallery).

For more information, visit the exhibition website here or watch the videos below.