Istana Mobile Educational Trails launched to make the Istana more accessible to Singaporeans

Singapore, 14 June 2017 – President Tony Tan launched a set of three Istana Mobile Educational Trails – the Presidents’ Trail, the Istana Heritage Gallery Trail and the Istana Park Trail today at IHG.

2          As part of the overall effort to make the Istana more accessible to the public, the mobile trails encourage visitors to embark on an exploratory journey of the Istana. The mobile trails will augment visitor experience to the Istana Heritage Gallery and during the Istana Open Houses, encouraging Singaporeans to learn more about the Istana and deepen their appreciation for Singapore’s history and heritage.

3          The trails launched are –

• The Presidents’ Trail – Covering seven locations within Central Singapore, each telling the story of Singapore’s Presidents and their contributions to the country.

• The Istana Heritage Gallery Trail – This showcases Istana’s rich history through interactive elements which interplay with the state artefacts, artworks and state gifts on display at the gallery.

• The Istana Park Trail – This trail takes visitors on a discovery tour of the flora and fauna around the Istana Park.

4          The Istana Mobile Educational Trails is a ground-up initiative by students and teachers of various educational institutions in Singapore. The Presidents’ Trail was jointly developed by students from Temasek Polytechnic and Yusof Ishak Secondary School, in collaboration with the President’s Office.  The Istana Heritage Gallery and Istana Park trails were developed by students from the Singapore Management University, in collaboration with the President’s Office.

5          “The two institutions decided to embark on this collaboration because we felt it was important for Singaporeans to develop a deeper appreciation for Singapore. The collaboration between Yusof Ishak Secondary School and Temasek Polytechnic is a partnership of strengths – Yusof Ishak Secondary School with their content development skills and Temasek students with their game design. The students then used LDR’s platform to publish the location-based trails, leveraging on technologies such as augmented reality, beacons and image recognition, to create an interactive experience for users.” Dr Nalaka Edirisinghe, Senior Manager, Curriculum Management & Course Manager, Diploma in Information Technology, Temasek Polytechnic.

6          “It’s exciting to see SMU students collaborating in the innovation process through an academic module, ‘Leadership and Teambuilding’, where trails can enrich visitors’ experience, giving them deeper insights into the Istana, its heritage and the role it plays in the nation’s development.” Dr. Jayarani Tan, Senior Lecturer, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, SMU.

7          In addition to the Istana Mobile Educational Trails, recent initiatives that have been introduced to make the Istana more accessible to the public include –

8          Members of the public, when visiting the Istana Heritage Gallery and during the Istana Open Houses, can begin their multi-sensorial journey of the Istana by downloading the Istana Mobile Educational Trails via the LocoMole mobile app. The LocoMole mobile app is available on both Google Play (Android 6.01; version 1.18) and iTunes (IOS 10.31; version 1.25.2).

About the Istana Heritage Gallery

The Istana Heritage Gallery (IHG) was opened in 2016 by President Tony Tan to make the Istana more accessible to Singaporeans. Housing educational panels as well as display of artefacts and State Gifts, the IHG brings visitors on an experiential journey of the nation through the perspective of Singapore’s leaders. IHG is located at the Istana Park (35 Orchard Road), which is opposite the Istana. Admission to the Istana Heritage Gallery is free. More information can be found at www.istana.gov.sg/istana-heritage-gallery/visitors-information.

ANNEX

ABOUT THE ISTANA MOBILE EDUCATIONAL TRAILS 2017

The Istana Mobile Educational Trails 2017 comprises a set of three trails and is housed within the LocoMole app.

Every trail is equipped with information, meaningful stories and interesting facts about each hotspot. The individual hotspot incorporates location-based technology such as GPS, Image Recognition (IR) and Augmented Reality (AR) wayfinding, in-app quizzes and in-app fun games. At selected hotspots, users may opt to take creative photos using the in-app camera and share them on social media.

The Presidents’ Trail

The Presidents’ Trail is a meaningfully curated trail which allows users to embark and discover the beliefs, interests and passions of the seven men who have led the nation as the Presidents of Singapore since its independence. Users will gain deeper insights into Singapore’s history by exploring the different hotspots in the civic district area that commemorate some of our Presidents’ contributions to the country and their espoused values.

The trail comprises seven hotspots which feature our seven Presidents -

1. President Yusof Bin Ishak

Learn about the Foundation Stone near Fullerton Hotel – a memorial to recognise multiracialism, which was a value Encik Yusof Ishak held firm on. Play an in-app puzzle to ‘fit’ the pieces of the the Foundation Stone back together!

Hotspot: Foundation Stone near Fullerton Hotel, 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178

2.President Benjamin Henry Sheares

Mr Benjamin Sheares was known as the father of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Singapore. Mr Benjamin Sheares practised at K K Hospital , where he pioneered new ways to perform gynaecological operations. Spot the K K Women’s Hospital from the Greek Theatre at the Singapore Flyer.

Hotspot: Greek Theatre at the Singapore Flyer, 30 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039803

3. President C V Devan Nair

With a passion for workers’ rights, Mr Devan Nair began his teaching career at the St Joseph’s Institution (current Singapore Arts Museum). He also played a key role in the formation of the Singapore Teacher’s Union. Spot the NTUC building across the road! After which, play an in-app quiz to see how well you know Mr Nair.

Hotspot: Frontage of Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555

1. President Wee Kim Wee

Fondly remembered as a devoted family man who was upright, kind and generous, The River Merchants tells a story of Dr Wee’s childhood. Re-enact a scene from the past using the in-app camera!

Hotspot: Waterfront Bullock-cart and River Merchants sculpture near Fullerton Hotel, in front of Maybank Tower

1. President Ong Teng Cheong

Known for his passion for the arts, Mr Ong Teng Cheong had aspired to be a conductor during his younger days. In his prominent career as a key figure in Singapore’s political scene, Mr Ong had sought to infuse his passion for the arts in his work. Play the in-app quiz to find out how well you know the arts spaces in Singapore.

Hotspot: Passages at Esplanade’s Upper Concourse, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981

1. President S R Nathan

The Fullerton Hotel, formerly known as the Fullerton Building, was where Mr Nathan worked as a Seaman’s Welfare Officer at the Marine Department early in his public service career. Scan the portrait of Sir Robert Fullerton in the Fullerton Heritage Gallery to learn more about Mr Nathan.

Hotspot: Portrait of Sir Robert Fullerton in the Fullerton Heritage Gallery, 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178

1. President Tony Tan Keng Yam

Known for his vision for education, Dr Tony Tan has always been an ardent advocate for education and research. The Singapore Management University was conceptualised by Dr Tony Tan who stressed the importance of competition and collaboration among local universities to increase overall standard of tertiary education in Singapore. Try the in-app quiz to find out more about Dr Tan.

Hotspot: SMU signage near School of Information Systems, 80 Stamford Road, Singapore 178902

The Istana Heritage Gallery Trail

The IHG Trail takes visitors on an exploratory and interactive journey of the Gallery. Download the app and dive into the history of the Istana, whose development mirrors that of Singapore.

The trail comprises eight hotspots –

1. Panel on National Monuments

The Istana and Sri Temasek were gazetted as National Monuments on 14 February 1992. Watch a video to learn about the history of Istana building and the architectural legacy of Sri Temasek. Watch a video on the opening of the Istana Heritage Gallery.

1. Panel on Early to War Years

Trace the early years of the Istana which was formerly a nutmeg plantation and revisit the effects World War II had on the Istana and its occupants. Watch a video about the origin of the Mandor statue and use Augmented Reality (AR) to view an aerial photo of the former nutmeg plantation.

1. Panel on Emblems of Change

Learn about the transition of the changing emblems from symbols of our colonial past to the current Presidential Crest. Use the Image Recognition (IR) technology to trigger a video to view the Istana Park from the Istana Gate.

1. Panel on Istana Garden

Gain insights into the Istana Garden. Visitors will learn about Istana’s wildlife conservation, biodiversity, the story of Singapore’s Chief Gardener and the Swan Story of Istana. Enjoy a video of the Japanese Garden within the Istana and try your hands at a photo matching game.

1. Panel on Roles of President and the Istana

This hotspot summarises the roles of the elected President Istana and the Istana. Watch a video of the ceremonial role of Istana and play an in-app photo matching game about State Gifts.

1. Panel on Role of the President and the  Istana in Building Bilateral Relations

Find out more about the role the President and the Istana play in building bilateral relations by using the IR technology to retrieve the recipe of the Istana Harvest Drink.

1. Panel on Ceremonial Role of Istana

Discover the types of ceremonies that take place in the Istana where the President represents Singapore at local and international ceremonies. Use the IR technology to scan the bust statue of Singapore’s first President, Encik Yusof bin Ishak, and watch a short video on the sculptor.

1. Panel on Bringing the Community Together

At the final hotspot, learn how the President draws the community closer together and strengthen bonds among Singaporeans. Watch a video on the Istana Open House Guided Walk and emboss a souvenir bookmark at the end of your visit at the Istana Heritage Gallery.

The Istana Park Trail

The Istana Park Trail tells the story of the Istana Park which was officially opened in 1996 and designed as an extension of the main entrance to the Istana. Visitors will learn about the interesting features in the Istana Park and the rich biodiversity of  flora and fauna within the park.

The trail comprises four hotspots –

1. Festival Arch

Known as the centrepiece of the Istana Park, learn about its significance and design. Take creative photos at the Festival Arch and #LocoMole.

1. Water Lily Pond

This pond is a display of aquatic plants of the tropical region. Try spotting the multiple species of flora and fauna and play the in-app game to appreciate the biodiversity in the pond.

1. Flowers and Butterflies

Learn about the relationship of the butterflies and the flowers within the Istana Park and enjoy its Butterfly Trail, known to be the first of its kind in the world. Try the in-app game to test your knowledge on butterflies.

1. Ginger

Famous for their medicinal and health benefits, the ginger plants comes in interesting shapes and colours. Play an in-app game to learn more about the different types of ginger.

Partners of the Istana Mobile Educational Trails

Presidents’ Trail

The Presidents’ Trail is developed by Temasek Polytechnic and Yusof Ishak Secondary School, in collaboration with the President’s Office, and supported by LDR Technology Pte Ltd.

Staff and students from Yusof Ishak Secondary School curated the information on all hotspots along the Presidents’ Trail. The students also provided informative feedback and guidance to enhance the content within the app.

Students from Temasek Polytechnic (Diploma in Information Technology) developed the storyboard, quizzes and ideas for the in-app activities for each hotspot. The students were also responsible for photography and testing of the app.

Istana Heritage Gallery Trail and Istana Park Trail

The Istana Heritage Gallery (IHG) Trail and Istana Park Trail were developed by Singapore Management University, National Parks Board and the IHG volunteer guides in collaboration with the President’s Office and supported by LDR Technology Pte Ltd.