The idea of a bird exhibit in Jurong was first conceived in 1968 by the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, who was then Minister for Finance. To Dr Goh, Jurong was more than an industrial district. He envisioned it to be a place where Singaporeans could escape from the burgeoning urban space and experience nature. Opened on 3 January 1971 at a cost of S$3.5 million, Jurong Bird Park is the largest bird park in the world and home to more than 8,000 birds of 600 species from around the world.
