SINGAPORE, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The 154-year-old Singapore Botanic Garden on Friday announced its plans to build a heritage museum and a separate gallery for green exhibits, aiming at better support for the garden in bidding for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.
Local daily The Straits Times reported that the garden is making a pitch for the first UNESCO World Heritage Site early last month.
The museum, an area of 240 square metres, will house artifacts like the oldest specimens and botanical artworks of the garden, helping audiences to understand the history of the garden.
A 314 square metres Green Gallery, which will run on solar power and will be built of concrete made from the hemp plant, will showcase exhibits mainly in plantings and greeneries. The first exhibition after its completion will be the half-century of " greening" journey of Singapore.
The heritage museum and the gallery will cost for 2 million Singapore dollars (1.62 million U.S. dollars). The whole work will be done by the end of November.
Singapore Botanic Garden was founded in 1859 and located in the central part of the city-state. Nowadays there are a lot of people rushing into the green lung of the city during their leisure time, running, walking and having picnic for health, joy and relaxation.
Ever since the mid 1960s, the garden is taking a leading role in the greening of Singapore.
Jack Ma to resign as Alibaba CEO