SINGAPORE – Under the noonday sun, volunteer guide Gan Lai Chui passed round a stalk of the bread flower plant for tour participants to smell the pandan-like fragrance exuded by its white, star-shaped flowers.

       The climbing plant was a favourite of Madam Kwa Geok Choo, the wife of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, said Mrs Gan, 77.

       This and other historical anecdotes were recounted during the hour-long refreshed heritage tour that visitors to the Istana on Oct 20 could join. The Istana was open to the public in celebration of Deepavali, which falls on Oct 31 this year.

       Other factoids included how the Istana, which is the office of the president, was shaped by its different inhabitants over the decades. Built in 1869, the Istana includes gardens and other buildings in a space the size of about 60 football fields.

       For instance, visitors were taken to the quiet, tree-lined Japanese Garden, which was the brainchild of the late Mr Lee. He had wanted a place on Istana grounds to test-bed plant species that could be introduced to Singapore, said Mrs Gan.

       Visitors also strolled through the Inclusive Garden with its tall planters. The garden was mooted by Madam Halimah Yacob during her term in office to cater to a wider range of visitors to its grounds, such as seniors, wheelchair users and people with disabilities.

       The heritage tour, previously called the Istana nature tour, was refreshed to include more heritage elements as the main building has been closed for renovation since the second half of 2024.

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       Even before that, preparatory works meant that the Government has had to make alternative arrangements.

       Prime Minister Lawrence Wong held his first Cabinet meeting in a different room on May 16 than had customarily been used. The meeting took place a day after he was sworn in as prime minister on the Istana grounds.

       Some official events have also been held at Parliament House instead. This was the case when Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone visited Singapore on July 9.

       In January, the National Heritage Board said restoration works were needed to address the main building’s deterioration due to factors such as rain and humidity, which have affected its structure and woodwork. The building last underwent significant renovation in the 1990s.

       Previously, open house visitors could explore the rooms used for state functions after a tour introducing the flora and fauna on its expansive grounds.

       With renovation works now under way, a selection of state gifts presented to Singapore’s leaders over the years – including exquisite silverware, porcelain and framed works of art – were moved to the Villa, which was open to visitors on Oct 20 via a ticketed tour.

       This is a bungalow on the Istana grounds which, until the 1980s, was used to accommodate the Republic’s state visitors, including Chinese paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and Canada’s former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

       Visitors who joined the heritage tour included Mr Hafiz Yusri Abdul Rahim, 31, a video editor, and his fiancee, Ms Dahlya Md Khairuddin, 30, a customer service executive.

       The couple, who were visiting the Istana for the first time, said they joined the tour to understand the Istana’s history but came away with an interest in its flora and fauna.

       Mrs Gan, who has been volunteering with the Istana for five years, said she enjoys sharing her love of plants’ scientific names with visitors because they cut across cultures and nationalities, compared with plants’ common names. For instance, the bread flower climber beloved by Madam Kwa is the Vallaris glabra.

       On Oct 20, Istana visitors were also treated to performances by students from Pasir Ris Primary School, Tampines Secondary School, St Stephen’s School, Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary), APSN Chaoyang School, Catholic High School and St Andrew’s Junior College.

       A slight noonday shower threatened to put a dampener on the occasion, but the rain went away soon after. About 6,000 people visited during the open house, said the Istana.