News Releases
Istana Open House on 17 July 2015
14 July 2015
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The Istana grounds will be open to the public on Friday, 17 July 2015, from 8.30am to 6.00pm, in celebration of Hari Raya Puasa.
New Addition to Istana Grounds: Spice Garden
The Spice Garden has been introduced to the landscape of the Istana grounds. Members of the public will be able to view the garden starting from this open house.
Planted in collaboration with community gardening volunteers in 2015, the Spice Garden comprises more than 30 different species of herbs, spices and edible plants used for medicinal and culinary purposes.
The factsheet on the Spice Garden can be found in Annex A.
Programme highlights
Visitors can enjoy various entertainment items and activities including Malay dance performances by PA Talents, performances by Nan Chiau High School Wind Orchestra, face painting and balloon sculpting. There will also be a display of birds by Wildlife Reserves of Singapore. The programme line-up is listed in Annex B.
Members of the public can also choose to sign up for the Nature Guided Walk at the Istana, a collaboration between the President’s Office and the National Parks Board (NParks) which will showcase the Istana’s flora, fauna and biodiversity, or take a guided tour of the Istana main building led by volunteers from the Preservation of Sites and Monuments division of the National Heritage Board and view selected function rooms and display of gifts presented to the President and the Prime Minister by foreign dignitaries.
Visitors can also choose to do a self-guided tour with the help of the “Istana Garden Walk” mobile application, which has been enhanced with several new features including a self-guided Plants Trail to discover 10 types of beautiful in the Istana Gardens and maps for Places of Interest and Plants Trails. For more information on the application, refer to Annex E.
Admission Details
Entry to the Istana grounds is free for Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents. All others visitors are required to pay an entrance fee of $2 per person. Entry to the Istana grounds is via the main gate at Orchard Road. The nearest MRT station is Dhoby Ghaut.
Additional fees as specified in Annexes C and D will be applied for the guided tours. Istana souvenirs will also be on sale during the Open House. Proceeds from the sale of souvenirs and all entrance fees collected will be donated to charity.
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
14 JULY 2015
ANNEX A
FACTSHEET ON SPICE GARDEN
Spice Garden
Planted in collaboration with community gardening volunteers in 2015, this educational garden has more than 30 different species of herbs, spices and edible plants used for medicinal and culinary purposes. Other than spices such as chillies and gingers, the garden features lime,chinchau, lemongrass and roselle plants which are commonly used to make delicious local drinks. Plants with medicinal applications include the sweetleaf herb or Stevia, which produces leaves containing a compound that is more than 200 times sweeter than sugar and is the source of sweetener products. Other edible plants here include the sweet potato, tapioca and the saw-tooth coriander.
ANNEX B
MAIN HIGHLIGHTS FOR HARI RAYA PUASA ISTANA OPEN HOUSE ON FRIDAY, 17 JULY 2015
Overall Programme
Time | Activity | Venue |
8.30 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. | Display of Birds by Wildlife Reserves of Singapore booth | Centre Gate |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Balloon Sculpturing by SingTel Recreation Club | Main Tent |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Sales of Istana Merchandise and drinks by NCSS | Centre Gate |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Istana Garden Walk Mobile Phone Application Booth by NParks | Centre Gate |
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Istana Main Building Self-Guided Tour | Ticketing Booth near Ceremonial Plaza |
9.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. | Istana Main Building Guided Tour by National Heritage Board | Ticketing Booth near Ceremonial Plaza |
10.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. | Face Painting by Simone Dolphene Consigliere | Centre Gate |
10.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. | Nature Guided Walk organised by NParks | Ticketing Booth near Ceremonial Plaza |
3.30 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. | Performance by Nan Chiau High School – Wind Orchestra | Main Tent |
3.50 p.m. – 4.10 p.m. | Slamaman Masa performances by PA Talents:
| Ceremonial Plaza |
ANNEX C
FEES FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE ISTANA MAIN BUILDING
The following fees are applicable for the tours of the state room, banquet hall and reception room in the Istana main building:
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents | Unguided | Guided* |
Children (4 to 12 years) | $2.00 | $2.00 |
Adult | $4.00 | |
Package for family of four | Not applicable | $12.00 |
Others | ||
Children( 4 to 12 years) | $2.00 | $2.00 |
Adult | $4.00 | $10.00 |
Package for family of four | Not applicable | $30.00 |
* ISTANA MAIN BUILDING GUIDED TOURS
Guided tours are conducted by volunteers from the Preservation of Sites and Monuments division of the National Heritage Board. The tours are limited to 15 persons per group, and depart every 20 minutes from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm.
All fees collected will be donated to charity.
For more information, visit the National Heritage Board website.
ANNEX D
FEES FOR NATURE GUIDED WALK AT THE ISTANA
The following fees are applicable for the Nature Guided Walk at the Istana:
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents | Guided* |
Children (4 to 12 years) | $2.00 |
Adult | $4.00 |
Package for family of four | $12.00 |
Others | |
Children( 4 to 12 years) | $2.00 |
Adult | $10.00 |
Package for family of four | $30.00 |
* Guided tours are conducted by volunteers and are limited to between 12 to 15 persons per group, and depart every hour from 10.00am to 4.00pm.
All fees collected will be donated to charity.
ANNEX E
ISTANA GARDEN WALK
The Istana Garden Walk is a mobile app that enables visitors to find out interesting information about the places of interest and plants within the Istana Garden. It is available for use on both android and iOS devices. The first version, released in 2014, featured the trail on Places of Interest (POI) in the Istana Garden. The latest version, which is now available for download, includes a new feature - the Plants trail – which provides information on interesting plants in the Istana Garden.
Visitors can use the app to scan QR codes at various locations. The QR code will lead them to information about a place of interest or a plant. This application provides visitors with an opportunity to do a self-guided tour of the Istana grounds. Visitors can follow either of the two trails: (a) the Places of Interest trail or (b) the Plants trail. Each trail takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to complete.
A visitor who completes the Places of Interest trail will collect 12 green butterflies on his mobile app, while the person who completes the Plants trail will collect 10 purple leaves. Visitors who complete either of the trails may redeem a souvenir from the redemption counter at the Istana (while stocks last).
What’s new in this new version?
A self-guided Plants Trail – To discover 10 types of beautiful plants in the Istana Garden
Updated information on Places of Interest
Maps for both the Places of Interest trail and Plants trail
Fun Quiz on both trails
Streamlining of the redemption process to enhance the experience
Istana Open House Schedule
Info Page to show latest news feeds from the Istana
How to get the application?
Search for Istana Garden Walk in the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to download the application.
Android Download Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sg.edu.tp.www_iit.istana.walk&hl=en
Apple Download Link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/istana-garden-walk/id671367818?mt=8