Aramco and NParks launch "Pressing Plant Matters: 150 Years of the Singapore Herbarium" exhibition

On 28 November, Aramco and Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) launched “Pressing Plant Matters: 150 Years of the Singapore Herbarium”. The exhibition was officially opened at the Singapore Botanic Gardens by Mr Ayman M. Hoho, Managing Director, Aramco Singapore, and Dr Yap Him Hoo, Deputy CEO, Professional Development & Services, NParks.

Established in 1875 by Henry James Murton, the first Superintendent of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Singapore Herbarium is recognised as the second-largest herbarium in Southeast Asia. This exhibition showcases the remarkable journey from Murton's modest collection stored in his office to today's world-class repository of approximately 800,000 specimens of plants and fungi. These meticulously preserved collections represent decades of scientific discovery and botanical exploration across the region, and was instrumental in the Singapore Botanic Gardens becoming the first and only tropical botanic garden inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2015.

The “Pressing Plant Matters” exhibition is on view at the Botanical Art Gallery, Singapore Botanic Gardens, that opened to the public from 28 November 2025 to 30 November 2026, 9am to 6pm (last entry at 5:30pm). The Gallery is best accessed via the Gallop Extension Visitor Centre and is closed on the last Thursday of every month. Admission is free.

Mr Ayman M. Hoho, Managing Director of Aramco Singapore, said “Aramco Singapore has been a proud partner of NParks and Garden City Fund since 2021. At Aramco, understanding and protecting ecological habitats is an important aspect of our culture. Exhibitions like this help promote environmental conservation to the general public and remind us of the importance of conservation and protecting these herbarium collections for future generations.”

Aramco’s support for the exhibition is part of its contributions to the Garden City Fund, NParks’ registered charity and Institution of a Public Character (IPC). The company is also supporting NParks’ ongoing efforts to digitalise the SING Herbarium, helping to conserve vital plant knowledge, and advance critical research and conservation efforts.

In appreciation of this support, a new orchid hybrid, the Papilionanda Aramco, was dedicated to the company. This dedication commemorates the flourishing partnership between Aramco and NParks, and reflects a shared commitment to conserve Singapore’s national heritage and ecosystems for generations to come.