Think you've seen all there is to see at Botanic Gardens? Check out some of the newest attractions our national garden has to offer!
Tropical Montane Orchidetum
Located within the National Orchid Garden, the latest attraction in Botanic Gardens features an air-conditioned glass house and dreamy trails. It simulates the experience of ascending through a tropical montane forest and showcases a diversity of orchids and other plants.
The Sembcorp Cool House has a surrounding temperature of 16 to 23°C, perfect for ducking away from the afternoon heat. The trail will take you through five different biogeographical regions: Malesia, Continental Southeast Asia and South Asia, Australasia, Afrotropics and the Neotropics.
There are approximately 1,000 orchid species and hybrids in the whimsical glass house, a huge increase from the previous 350 species. The splendour of these gorgeous blooms is quite a sight to behold!
The price to enter National Orchid Garden for Singapore residents is $5 for adults, $1 for students and $1 for seniors above 60. The standard rate is $15 for adults, $3 for students and $3 for seniors above 60. Entry is free for children under 12.
Forest Discovery Centre @ OCBC Arboretum
Another new attraction within Botanic Gardens is the Forest Discovery Centre at Gallop House No.5. To make it extra special, it is also the oldest surviving black-and-white bungalow from the colonial era!
Through a series of interpretive and interactive displays, visitors can enjoy a bird's eye view of Singapore’s diverse forests, and learn about the Gardens’ historical role in conserving them. Highlights include a photographic installation of forest trees, family-friendly displays and videos featuring three distinctive forest habitats found in Singapore, and their unique flora and fauna.
Botanical Art Gallery
Nearby within Gallop House No.7 is the new Botanical Art Gallery, Singapore’s first permanent display of botanical art. Visitors will see a selection of the Botanic Gardens’ collection which includes more than 2,000 botanical paintings, hundreds of sketches, line drawings and photographs. The display will also showcase various art forms, from original watercolours and ink drawings to prints and printing blocks.
The art works, which include some by contemporary artists, will be rotated every six months, with about 100 pieces on display at any one time.
COMO Adventure Grove
Here's something for the young and the young at heart! Inspired by distinctive parts of trees found within the Gardens, COMO Adventure Grove is a playground and a modern interpretation of the timeless experience of climbing and playing in trees.
Set within nature, children can swing, slide and climb on structures, or roll and hop around the pod and seeds of a Saga tree. There is a 5.8m Weeping Fig structure complete with climbing ropes, swings and hammocks for children to play on. And no playground is complete without tube slides. There is also a massive jackfruit to climb on – a real test of coordination and sense of awareness!