MTW: Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum

27 Jul 2015

For a group of 40 lower primary students from the Lakeside Family Center, this year’s youth day holiday will be one to remember. As part of the foundation’s More Than Words programme, the children were treated to a fascinating guided tour of the newly opened Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM).

The large rock-like façade of the museum loomed over the children as they arrived. Upon reaching the entrance,  the children were greeted by a long panel of a kaleidoscopic illustration of what they are to see in the museum. Unsurprisingly, the squeals of excitement escalated to a level that mimicked the vibrant chatter of animals in the jungle.

The tour began with some children a little hesitant of coming too near to  the life-sized and highly realistic specimens of Southeast Asia’s treasured animals, flora and fauna, but after zigzagging through exhibits and “curiosity cabinets”, they became braver- flailing their hands in the air to ask a beeline of questions and getting ever closer to the exhibits.

At a short creative writing session after the museum tour, the students unleashed their imagination as “Gaia’s Guardians” who were tasked to innovate ways to save the creatures and plants of Gaia that they just saw. The final masterpieces of illustrations and short comic strips reflected the valuable lessons and a newfound sense of responsibility to save Gaia in their own little ways.