The Bookreader is a springstone sculpture in front of the Library of Botany and Horticulture at Singapore Botanic Gardens. NParks credits Jonathan Mhondorohuma and dates its installation to 2006. The sculpture shows a life-sized woman seated on a bench reading.
For this stop, use Napier MRT (TE12), Exit 1, and look for the Botany Centre, Level 1. NParks says the Public Reference Library is temporarily closed until the end of 2027. Check current notices before visiting and follow any access signs near the building.
- Artwork · The Bookreader, by Jonathan Mhondorohuma.
- Location · In front of the Library of Botany and Horticulture at the Botany Centre.
- Train · Napier MRT Exit 1 toward the Tanglin entrance.
- Library notice · Public Reference Library temporarily closed until the end of 2027.
Start from the Tanglin entrance
Follow the signs from Napier MRT Exit 1 to the Gardens. Look for the Botany Centre and use the NParks sculpture trail map from Tanglin Gate. The library page places the library on Level 1 opposite the glass-fronted Micropropagation Laboratory.
The photograph shows Bukit Timah Gate, a different entrance by Botanic Gardens MRT. If you are starting there, use the full Gardens map and allow more time to reach the Tanglin side.
Separate the outdoor art stop from a library visit
The sculpture is listed in front of the library. NParks’ closure notice applies to the Public Reference Library, and the library page describes a separate appointment process for research and archival materials. For a sculpture visit, check on-site access and use the sculpture trail map rather than planning to enter the library.
If the immediate area is restricted on the day, use the Tanglin sculpture trail to choose another stop nearby.
Look at how the stone suggests a quiet moment
From the path, notice the position of the reader’s head, hands and book. Those three details make the action recognisable. Ask a child to sketch the angle of the book and the reader’s posture, then compare which details they noticed first.
For a second outdoor artwork, use the NParks sculpture list to find Swing Me Mama at Swan Lake. Comparing the seated reader with figures in motion gives the short walk two distinct scenes to look at.
Contents · Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Where is The Bookreader?
In front of the Library of Botany and Horticulture at the Botany Centre.
Who sculpted it?
NParks credits Jonathan Mhondorohuma.
Which train exit is useful?
Napier MRT Exit 1 for the Tanglin entrance.
Can I visit the Public Reference Library now?
NParks says it is temporarily closed until the end of 2027.