Three Thomases – Hardwicke, Horsfield and Raffles – have arguably made the earliest contributions to natural history in Singapore. Directly or indirectly, they have been responsible for introducing the first mammals, birds, plants, reptiles and fishes from Singapore to the West. But beyond just “collecting” species and specimens, how did these three men, and others like them, contribute to the larger understanding of nature and natural history in Singapore and beyond?

The story of the Malayan Tapir offers a “cheat sheet” to the development of this rich natural history that began long before any of the Thomases stepped ashore in Singapore. This riveting tale involves an emperor, eunuchs, a fleet of treasure ships, four Frenchmen, a Dutchman with a Chinese name, an English civil servant, and of course, several tapirs.

Speaker: Martyn E. Y. Low

Admission: S$5, register here

Venue: The Salon(Level 1), National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178897

When: 18 May 2019, 2pm - 3pm

By: National Museum of Singapore