Key Concepts:
- Lie Kong Chian Natural History Museum expansion
- Signify Project: Digital reunification of Singaporean specimens
- Biodiversity history
- Natural history specimen digitization
- International museum collaboration
- Singapore's archipelago history
- Importance of curators in museum partnerships
- Open access to digitized specimens
Museum Expansion and Anniversary
The Lie Kong Chian Natural History Museum is planning an expansion due to a growing collection and increased public interest. Visitor numbers reached a record high of over 88,000 last year, prompting the need for more space. Securing funding is the museum's top priority as it marks its 10th anniversary. Since opening in 2015, the museum has welcomed over 650,000 visitors. The museum's anniversary was marked by a visit from President Tamman Shanaratnam and Mrs. Jane Ittogi. Two new exhibitions were unveiled, highlighting rare finds from donations and expeditions. The expansion aims to create more space for temporary exhibitions, research, and collections.
Singapore as an Archipelago
A commemorative book pays tribute to a Scottish naturalist who described Singapore as an archipelago of islands in 1819. One of the book's authors hopes it will offer a fresh perspective on Singapore's story. Singapore is currently an archipelago of 54 islands, down from 79 islands in the past due to changes over the centuries.
The Signify Project: Digital Reunification
Martin Low, Biodiversity Histories Lead at the Lie Kong Chian Natural History Museum, discusses the Signify project. The project was inspired by the realization that thousands of natural history specimens collected in Singapore are now located in museums overseas due to historical reasons, such as the period of scientific exploration. The goal is to digitally reunite these specimens with their home in Singapore, contextualize them, and recognize their role in Singapore's biodiversity history.
Enhancing Access to Collections
The Signify project enhances access to Singapore's natural history collections both locally and internationally. The project began by digitizing historically important specimens in the museum's own collection. The team then contacted overseas natural history museums to collaborate. The Signify team digitizes specimens at high resolution and makes the data freely available on the museum's website, promoting "anytime, anywhere, anyone access."
Challenges and Collaboration
One of the biggest challenges is building relationships with international museums, as they are protective of their collections. The museum works closely with curators to understand their processes and gain their trust. The basis of the partnerships is curator-to-curator collaboration. Curators have daily access to the specimens and are the best people to talk to in order to get to know the collections better.
Accuracy and Preservation
The museum follows global standards for digital preservation of data, image standards, and imaging standards. The Signify team attends courses and learns from experts in the field. The use of common standards ensures interoperability and interconnectivity.
Long-Term Benefits
The project has long-term benefits for Singapore's natural history community. For example, the museum participated in Singapore Art Week and used high-resolution digital specimens to bring them back to where they were collected. A beetle, the first to be given a scientific name, was taken back to Bukitima, its likely original habitat. This contextualizes the specimen and allows Singaporeans to better understand Singapore's past and potential future.
Notable Quotes:
- Martin Low: "The inspiration and the motivation for the Signify project was actually the realization that there are thousands upon thousands of natural history specimens that are now that were collected in Singapore in the past but that are now in countries overseas."
- Martin Low: "We like to call it anytime anywhere anyone access and it's freely available on our website high resolution and with you know basically anyone can use this information and this data and this images"
Technical Terms and Concepts:
- Natural History Specimen: A preserved plant, animal, or other natural object used for scientific study.
- Digitization: The process of converting physical specimens into digital images and data.
- Biodiversity: The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
- Curator: A person in charge of a museum's collections.
- Interoperability: The ability of different systems and organizations to work together.
Synthesis/Conclusion:
The Lie Kong Chian Natural History Museum is expanding to accommodate its growing collection and increasing visitor numbers. A key initiative is the Signify project, which aims to digitally reunite Singaporean natural history specimens scattered across the globe. This project not only enhances access to these collections but also fosters international collaboration and promotes a deeper understanding of Singapore's biodiversity history. The museum's efforts, particularly through the Signify project, are contributing significantly to the preservation and accessibility of Singapore's natural heritage.
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