Bespoke scents, first Singapore-made electric vehicle among items donated to heritage causes in 2024
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Scents contributed by Givaudan Singapore on display at the National Museum's Amazonia photography exhibition, which ran from November 2024 to March 2025.
PHOTO: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE
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- Givaudan Singapore designed bespoke scents for the National Museum's Amazonia exhibition, enhancing visitor experience through multi-sensory engagement.
- 64 organisations and individuals were recognised at the National Heritage Board’s Patron of Heritage Awards, contributing $12.51 million to Singapore's heritage sector in 2024.
- Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore donated the first Singapore-made electric vehicle to the National Collection.
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SINGAPORE – They were at the National Museum of Singapore in Stamford Road, but their noses might have transported them somewhere else.
Visitors to the National Museum of Singapore’s Amazonia photography exhibition
The olfactory experience came courtesy of fragrance and flavour firm Givaudan Singapore, which designed and manufactured the bespoke scents for the exhibition – free of charge.
For its donation, the firm was on Nov 19 recognised at the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) annual Patron of Heritage Awards, alongside 63 other organisations and individuals.
In total, the patrons contributed about $12.51 million to Singapore’s heritage sector in 2024.
About $5.96 million comprised cash contributions, while the other roughly $6.55 million included artefact and in-kind donations.
Mr Ben Webb, regional head of fragrances for Asia-Pacific in Givaudan’s fragrance and beauty division, said that although the 250-year-old company is headquartered in Switzerland, it has an interest in supporting the culture and heritage of each country it has operations in.
The scents it supplied to the museum added to a multi-sensory experience, helping to bring the exhibition to life, said Mr Webb.
Besides contributing scents to the exhibition, Givaudan also created limited-edition candles and collectible scent cards in 2024 for the museum. It first started working with the museum for the reopening of its permanent galleries in 2015, and has been recognised at the awards eight times.
Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo, who officiated the award ceremony on Nov 19 at the National Museum of Singapore, said the donors and patrons have made Singapore’s heritage more vibrant, inclusive and alive.
“Heritage thrives when it becomes a whole-of-society effort, when businesses, communities and individuals all play a part in building this shared story,” he said.
“This is where all of you – our donors and patrons – play a crucial role.”
Mr Neo said that some contributions show how innovation can bring new life to heritage, and cited the donation of the first made-in-Singapore electric vehicle
A Hyundai Ioniq 5 on display at the Singapore Motorshow in January 2023.
PHOTO: HMGICS
“The vehicle will be part of our national collection, making a piece of today’s breakthrough tomorrow’s heritage,” he said.
In a press release, the NHB said that adding the Hyundai Ioniq 5 to the collection “documents a milestone in Singapore’s sustainable development journey, highlighting the nation’s industrial and innovation progress over the years”.
The national collection comprises more than 250,000 objects and works of art that tell of Singapore’s history.
Dr Park Hyun Sung, chief executive of the HMGICS, said the donation of the car reflects “the collaborative efforts and shared progress between Singapore and Korea towards future growth”.
Through it, he said, HMGICS hopes “to honour the spirit of partnership and innovation that made this achievement possible”.
“We are proud that this vehicle will be preserved as part of Singapore’s national story,” Dr Park added.
HMGICS added that it had approached the NHB with the idea of the donation to support the National Museum’s ongoing work in documenting contemporaneous happenings of note in Singapore. The production of the EV marked a milestone in the country’s manufacturing landscape.
The vehicle, which was first presented at the Singapore Motorshow in January 2023, may be displayed in future NHB exhibitions.
The National Museum is currently working with the authorities on transferring it from the Hyundai centre in Jurong West to the NHB’s Heritage Conservation Centre in Jurong Port Road.
Echoing Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s call at the National Day Rally in August for Singaporeans to build a “we first” society
“Every little act of giving strengthens and helps our heritage to thrive,” he said.
The annual Patron of Heritage Awards was established in 2006, and awards were first given out in 2007.
