Little Girl with Shell is a bronze sculpture by Vanessa Marston inside the National Orchid Garden at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Start at the orchid garden’s ticket counter and use NParks’ sculpture trail map or ask staff for the work by name. For a direct drop-off, NParks recommends the Tyersall Entrance.
The girl is looking closely at a shell. That small gesture gives families something to look for beyond the orchids. Ask a child to see where the figure’s eyes are directed, then work out what has caught her attention before reading the label.
- Location: inside the ticketed National Orchid Garden.
- Artist: Vanessa Marston. Donated by Lady Yuen Peng McNeice in 2001.
- Hours: 8.30 am to 7 pm, with last ticket sales and entry at 6 pm.
How to find the sculpture
Navigate first to the National Orchid Garden, then use the official sculpture map or ask at the ticket counter for Little Girl with Shell. If the group is arriving at different times, Orchid Plaza or the ticket counter is a clearer meeting point than an unfamiliar sculpture inside the garden.
The featured photograph shows Bukit Timah Gate. From Botanic Gardens MRT, that gate works as the start of a longer walk. For a shorter approach by taxi or car, use the Tyersall Entrance and continue to the ticket counter.
What to look for in the bronze
Begin by finding the shell. Notice the direction of the girl’s gaze and how the pose brings her face and hands close to the small object. Move along the public path and see whether the scene is clearer from a different angle.
Ask a child to describe what they can see before saying what the girl might be thinking. Looking down and holding a shell are visible clues. Curiosity is one interpretation of those clues. Two visitors can use the same detail and imagine slightly different stories.
Another work by Vanessa Marston
NParks also credits Vanessa Marston with Nurturing, a bronze in the Frangipani Collection showing a mother watering plants while a child looks towards her. The two works offer different things to watch. In Little Girl with Shell, the child’s attention is on an object. In Nurturing, it is directed toward another person.
If you have limited time, choose one work and give it a few minutes. If you see both, ask each member of the group to name one detail that shows where the child is looking.
Admission and a short visit plan
NParks lists the orchid garden as open daily until 7 pm, with the last ticket sales and entry at 6 pm. Check the current admission rates and concession rules before going. For a short outing, combine the sculpture with one nearby orchid display and leave extra time if you want to continue through the garden.
Frequently asked questions
Is the sculpture outside the ticketed garden?
NParks lists it inside the National Orchid Garden.
Who donated Little Girl with Shell?
Lady Yuen Peng McNeice donated it in 2001.
What is the easiest entrance for a drop-off?
NParks recommends the Tyersall Entrance for the National Orchid Garden.