Merlion statue by Lim Nang Seng, Merlion Park, Singapore
The
Merlion
Lim Nang Seng · The Merlion statue, unveiled 15 September 1972, moved in 2002 · Merlion Park, One Fullerton, at the mouth of the Singapore River, Singapore
As published on Street Art Utopia; photographer and date not named
Local sculptor Lim Nang Seng built the 8.6-metre, 70-tonne Merlion in 1972 from a blueprint by artist Kwan Sai Kheong, and Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew unveiled it at the mouth of the Singapore River on 15 September 1972. In 2002 it was moved about 120 metres to One Fullerton, where it still stands and still spouts water.
5 things to know
- A family buildThe Singapore Tourism Board says Lim “did not build the Merlion alone – he had the help of all his eight children, then aged 11 to 23.” The older ones worked on the eyes from the scaffolding; the younger ones carved the scales and fins. His son Albert said in 2002: “To my dad this was not just a sculpture for Singapore, it was also a lasting gift to all of us [his family].” STB on Roots
- A logo before a statueThe half-lion, half-fish was “first created in 1964 as the corporate logo for the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board”, drawn by British zoologist Alec Fraser-Brunner, then curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium. Lim got the statue commission after winning several prizes in the board’s Singapore Handicraft and Design competition. STB on Roots · NHB
- Lifted over a bridgeThe Esplanade Bridge, built in 1997, blocked the view of the statue from the waterfront. In 2002 it was moved 120 metres to One Fullerton. Engineers had planned to float it under the bridge, but found an extra 0.6 m of concrete under it, so cranes lifted the 70-tonne statue over the bridge instead; it was “airborne for about five minutes.” STB on Roots · Visit Singapore
- Hit by lightningOn 28 February 2009, during a heavy downpour, lightning knocked a piece off the Merlion’s mane, which made a hole in the wave-shaped base. The statue was closed for a month for repairs and lightning protection. STB on Roots
- A hotel for a monthFor the Singapore Biennale 2011, Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi built the “Merlion Hotel” around the statue, a 100-square-metre suite run by the Fullerton Hotel. STB says overnight stays at S$150 a night “sold out in a matter of hours.” STB on Roots
Check-in guide
- 📍
- Merlion Park at One Fullerton, in front of the Fullerton Hotel at the mouth of the Singapore River, overlooking Marina Bay (STB on Roots, Visit Singapore).
- 🧭
- The Maps button points to OpenStreetMap’s outline of the Merlion fountain (way 182819157), at about 1.28678, 103.85450.
- 📷
- The park has a viewing deck built for photos with the statue (STB on Roots). The 2-metre “Merlion cub” that Lim also made stands nearby.
- 🚧
- A few times a year the statue is wrapped in scaffolding for a day or more of cleaning or repairs. The Singapore Tourism Board announces each closure on its media centre; the newest notice we found, dated 12 August 2026, was for minor maintenance on 8 September 2026 (STB).
Sightings
- 197215 Sep
Unveiled
- 2002Moved
To One Fullerton
- 200928 Feb
Lightning strike
- 2011Biennale
Merlion Hotel
- 202326 Jul
Cracks reported
- 202322 Sep
STB: repair works
- 20245 Jul
STB: cleaning notice
- 20256 Jan
STB: cleaning notice
- 20251 Oct
STB: cleaning notice
- 202620 Apr
STB: cleaning 14 May
- 202612 Aug
STB: maintenance 8 Sep
- 20266 Oct
In SAU “Just Play Along”
Every stamp links to the dated source. All stamps are amber: they are reports and official notices about the statue, not dated photos. The STB notices announce short closures for cleaning or repairs, and each one confirms the statue was in place at Merlion Park on that date. The photo above has no date.
On the record
Celebrating 50 Years of the Merlion: Stories Behind the National Icon
“The first Merlion statue was constructed in 1972 by local sculptor Lim Nang Seng, based on a blueprint by artist Kwan Sai Kheong.”
Written by STB for Singapore Heritage Fest 2022 and published on the National Heritage Board’s Roots site. It also says that “On 15 September 1972, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew officiated the installation ceremony and unveiled the Merlion statue at the mouth of the Singapore River.”
Night-time view of the mouth of the Singapore River
“The 8.6-metre-tall, 70-tonne Merlion sculpture was created by local sculptor Lim Nang Seng using concrete wrapped around a steel frame and was designed to spout water from its mouth.”
From the caption of a National Museum of Singapore photograph (accession no. 2008-04226).
Merlion Statue Has Large Cracks, Will Go On 2-Day ‘Break’ For Maintenance Works
“Some visitors recently spotted some cracks on the statue that sits near the mouth of the Singapore River.”
By Valerie Yuam. STB’s own notice of 25 July 2023 announced maintenance works on 27 and 28 July 2023.
Maintenance works scheduled for the main Merlion statue at Merlion Park
“The Singapore Tourism Board would like to inform the public that the main Merlion statue at Merlion Park will be undergoing minor maintenance works on 08 September 2026.”
The newest dated record of the statue we found. During the works the statue “will be partially covered in scaffolding”.
Cleaning Works Scheduled for Main Merlion Statue at Merlion Park
“…the main Merlion statue at the Merlion Park will be undergoing cleaning works on Thursday, 14 May 2026.”
The notice adds that visitors can take photos with “the nearby Merlion cub” while the main statue is covered.
The facts
- Artist
- Lim Nang Seng, a local sculptor (STB on Roots, NHB, Visit Singapore) Checked
- Design
- Built from a blueprint by artist Kwan Sai Kheong (STB on Roots, Visit Singapore). The Merlion symbol itself was created in 1964 by Alec Fraser-Brunner as the tourist board’s logo (STB on Roots, NHB) Checked
- Unveiled
- 15 September 1972, by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (STB on Roots, Visit Singapore; NHB gives September 1972) Checked
- Size
- 8.6 metres tall, 70 tonnes (NHB, Visit Singapore, STB on Roots) Checked
- Material
- Concrete over a steel frame, built to spout water; only NHB describes the material (NHB) Reported
- Place
- First at the mouth of the Singapore River; since 2002 at One Fullerton, about 120 metres away, in front of the Fullerton Hotel (STB on Roots, Visit Singapore) Checked
- Damage
- Struck by lightning on 28 February 2009 and closed for a month (STB on Roots). Cracks seen by visitors in July 2023 (MustShareNews); STB then scheduled maintenance for 27–28 July and repair works from 25 September to 13 December 2023 (STB, STB) Reported
- Photo
- Photographer and date not named. The photo shows the statue at its current site, with office towers behind, so it was taken after the 2002 move Unconfirmed
Related
- On Street Art Utopia: Just Play Along (8 Photos) (6 October 2026), where the photo above appeared as work no. 1.
- On Street Art Utopia: Playing With Statues (23 Photos) (15 November 2025), with the same photo.
- The Merlion’s 50-year story, from the 1964 logo to the 2002 move, told by the Singapore Tourism Board. Roots
- The tourist board’s page for the park. Visit Singapore
All sources (13)
This statue
- Singapore Tourism Board: “Celebrating 50 Years of the Merlion: Stories Behind the National Icon”, on the National Heritage Board’s Roots site, written for Singapore Heritage Fest 2022. Lim Nang Seng, Kwan Sai Kheong’s blueprint, the eight children, Albert Lim quote (first in The New Paper, 22 April 2002), unveiling on 15 September 1972, the 2002 move, lightning on 28 February 2009, Merlion Hotel 2011.
- National Heritage Board (Roots): “Night-time view of the mouth of the Singapore River”, National Museum of Singapore collection record, accession no. 2008-04226. Size, weight, sculptor, material, 1964 logo, opened September 1972.
- Visit Singapore: Merlion Park, Singapore Tourism Board, current page. Size, weight, “built by local craftsman Lim Nang Seng, designed by Kwan Sai Kheong”, unveiling date, reason for the move.
- MustShareNews: “Merlion Statue Has Large Cracks, Will Go On 2-Day ‘Break’ For Maintenance Works”, 26 July 2023, by Valerie Yuam. Cracks seen by visitors, STB maintenance.
Official notices (Singapore Tourism Board)
- Maintenance works scheduled for main Merlion statue at Merlion Park, 25 July 2023. Works on 27–28 July 2023.
- Repair works scheduled for main Merlion statue at Merlion Park, 22 September 2023. Works from 25 September to 13 December 2023.
- Cleaning and Maintenance Works … 29 July to 2 August 2024, 5 July 2024.
- Cleaning and maintenance works … 1 February 2025 to 12 February 2025, 6 January 2025. The headline says 1 to 12 February; the text says the works run from 11 to 12 February 2025.
- Cleaning works scheduled for main Merlion statue at Merlion Park, 13 June 2025. Works on 22 July 2025.
- Cleaning and Maintenance works scheduled for main Merlion statue at Merlion Park, 1 October 2025. Works on 19–20 November 2025.
- Cleaning Works Scheduled for Main Merlion Statue at Merlion Park, 20 April 2026. Works on 14 May 2026.
- Maintenance works scheduled for the main Merlion statue at Merlion Park, 12 August 2026. Minor maintenance on 8 September 2026. The newest record we found.
The place
- OpenStreetMap: Merlion Fountain (way 182819157), tagged as an artwork. Source of the map point.
Artwork File · Last checked 6 October 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files