Treasures from the Vault
Discover fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from our collection, as featured in 'L: 50 Stories of Labour and Love'
L: 50 Stories of Labour and Love (2026-08-01) by Martyn E. Y. LowLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
L: 50 Stories of Labour and Love
Affectionally known as the 'L Book', L: 50 Stories of Labour and Love brings together stories about some of our Museum's most treasured and interesting specimens that illustrate the love and labour that goes into building and caring for this invaluable collection.
Asian brown tortoise (Manouria emys) (2012-05-10) by Tan Heok HuiLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
News from the Inside of a Tortoise
This Asian brown tortoise was collected from near Fraser's Hill in what is today Malaysia in August 1907. The preservation may have only taken a month based on the date of the newspapers found inside. This specimen can be viewed in the Museum's Reptile Zone.
Dugong (Dugong dugon) (2019-08-01) by National Museum of SingaporeLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
Telok Ayer Market Baby Dugong
This baby dugong was donated to the Museum in 1908 by the son of Telok Ayer Market's owner in Singapore. It is possible that dugongs were still being sold for food at that time. Stamford Raffles remarked that the flesh tasted like "good beef".
Photograph of Mentawai Expedition from Norman Smedley Collection (2019-04-25) by Ruzaini GhazaliLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
The Smedley Collection
Norman Smedley joined the Museum as a curator in 1924. Smedley was very efficient at organising expeditions, including one to the Mentawei Islands (now Kepulauan Mentawai), as shown in this glass slide. This was one of the slides donated by Smedley's son to the Museum in 2017.
Pear-shaped cowrie (Erronea pyriformes) (2019-04-05) by Tan Heok HuiLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
Under the Sea
In the 1930s, one of the Museum's curators, Michael Tweedie, went out to sea with a telegraph cable repair ship. When the cables were brought up for repair, he was able to collect specimens of marine life that lived and grew on the cables, including this pear-shaped cowrie.
Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) (2019-03-05) by Tan Heok HuiLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
A Murder Mystery?
Human remains were found in a tiger shark that was brought to the Ellenborough Market. The first Singaporean director of the Museum, Eric Alfred, was asked to help with investigations. His conclusion? The person was already dead when the shark bit off parts of the body.
Spot this specimen in our gallery!
Yellow-banded caecilian (Icthyophis paucisulcus) (2020-03-06) by Tan Heok HuiLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
If the Shoe Sticks
On Valentine's Day in 1989, a student doing an ecological survey found a "little black worm" stuck to her shoe. Thankfully, the student did not simply dismiss it, as it turned out to be a specimen of the yellow-banded caecilian, one of the rarest amphibians in Singapore!
Pyrocoelia fumigata (2016-10-14) by Ang Yu ChenLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
Travelling through Space-time
When Pyrocoelia fumigata fireflies were found in Singapore in late 2000s, it was thought this was the first time the species was found here. Researchers later found that Alfred Russel Wallace had collected a specimen from Singapore in the 1850s (now at Oxford University).
LKCNHM sauropod dinosaur exhibit (2015-04-17) by Teo Zi TongLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
A Dinosaur in an X-ray Machine
A highlight at our Museum is the three sauropod dinosaur fossils! In 2012, some of the fossils were put into a computed tomography (CT) machine so that we could learn more about them. The Museum continues to do research on these three dinosaur specimens.
Box jellyfish (Morbakka sp.) (2016-06-17) by Iffah IesaLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
On and Off on the News
The lifeguard who found this box jellyfish at Siloso Beach on Sentosa Island picked it up with his bare hands! Thankfully, the specimen had lost all of its highly venomous tentacles. The Museum continues to work with the public to raise awareness about these creatures.
Helmet urchin (Colobocentrotus atratus) (2017-11-29) by Tan Heok HuiLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
The Ocean Takes and the Ocean Gives
Helmet urchins adhere to wave-swept environments and have some of the strongest suction forces of any sea urchin species. While trying to collect specimens on Christmas Island, the head of the Museum suffered a great loss—his favourite hat! But he did get the specimens.
L: 50 Stories of Labour and Love (2026-08-01) by Maimon HussinLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
Read more about these specimens and other fascinating treasures from our collection in L: 50 Stories of Labour and Love here!
Text:
Biodiversity Histories
Images:
Photograph of L: 50 Stories of Labour and Love
Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
(National University of Singapore, Singapore)
Asian brown tortoise
Pear-shaped cowrie
Tiger shark
Yellow-banded caecilian
Helmet urchin
Heok Hui Tan
(National University of Singapore, Singapore)
Dugong
National Museum of Singapore, Singapore
Photograph of Mentawei Expedition from Norman Smedley Collection
Ruzaini Ghazali
(National University of Singapore, Singapore)
Pyrocoelia fumigata
OUMN-2016-048-174
Copyright Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Sauropod dinosaur exhibit
Zi Tong Teo
Box jellyfish
Iffah Iesa
(National University of Singapore, Singapore)
Interested in Natural history?
Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.