Photo gallery: Istana visitors get gems of information about iconic building
Children are seen climbing the gnarled tree on the Istana grounds during the open house on Feb 11, 2013. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Friends pose for a pictures as they sit on the lawn in front of the Istana building during the open house on Feb 11, 2013. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Madam Zhou Xiu Xia (right), strokes the skin of a boa constrictor as her grand-daughter, Rong Si Qi (second from right), who is born in the Year of the Snake, touches a carpet python. The snake exhibition is organised by Wildlife Reserves Singapore for the Istana Open House on Feb 11, 2013. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Mr Harry Tong (left) chats with couple Pierre Pittet (extreme right) and Arlette Pittet (second from right) from Switzerland before the start of the Istana Building Guided Tour. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
A father holds his son as he reaches for the Japanese Gun on display at the Istana Open House. The Japanese Gun was presented to Lord Louis Mountbatten after the Japanese surrender in 1945. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Ten-year-old Rave Lai (centre) takes photogaphs of the Victoria Pond as visitors and the statue of Queen Victoria, which now stands at the end of the Victoria Pond located south of the Istana grounds, are reflected against the water. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Volunteer guide Jean Tsai (in pink), shares historic pictures with Mr Harry Tong, together with the rest in the group at the start of the Istana Building Guided Tour. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Volunteer guide Jean Tsai (second from left) introduces the architecture and history of the Istana building to visitors at the start of the Istana Building Guided Tour. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Some 300 visitors to the Istana's Chinese New Year open house were taken on guided-tours of iconic Istana building for the first time on Monday.
Volunteer guides from the Preservation of Monuments Board led the 45-minute tours of the 144-year-old national monument that now houses the offices of the President and the Prime Minister.












