Cruise your way through this immersive experience
We all know that Singapore was once a “sleepy fishing village”, and has come a long way to become the world’s second-busiest port. But what else do we know about the maritime industry and its history in Singapore?
It’s time to learn more about the maritime scene of Singapore, which accounts for a good 7% of our GDP. And there’s no better place to start than the Maritime Gallery, which underwent a 9-month revamp and reopened just yesterday.
Located at Marina South Pier, the 1,000 sq m gallery follows Singapore’s transformation from a small trading post into an internationally recognised maritime centre.
The nearly $2-million overhaul allowed the gallery to include more immersive and interactive elements than before. The displays are mostly targeted at younger Singaporeans, to inspire and interest them in a career with the maritime industry.
What to expect:
The new and improved maritime gallery features a simulator of a ship bridge, which is the room from which a vessel is commanded. Visitors will enjoy a hands-on experience, steering a boat through poor weather conditions to complete missions.
Visitors can also go “ship-spotting” with the numerous models on display. Through the employment of augmented reality technology, information about the particular ship will be presented on a tablet when visitors point the tablet at them.
There will be a resource corner in the gallery, where visitors can access maritime-related materials and publications.
Artefacts from the early years in Singapore, together with interactive panels and videos showing how maritime trading has evolved, will also be found in the gallery.
At the children’s zone, visitors may engage in a container-stacking game that explains the dangers of overloading a vessel, or a game on setting sail that introduces the concepts of navigational safety and marine conservation.
In addition, there will be multimedia displays on the latest maritime technologies as well as a presentation of Singapore’s future plans for the Tuas mega port in Jurong.
Last but not least, there is a space dedicated to hosting exhibitions and workshops in the gallery itself.
In a press release by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the goal of the gallery revamp was to provide “richer content” on the sector’s recent developments, and hopes that the updated gallery will bring in about 10% more visitors each year. This would allow a greater number of Singaporeans to have a better perspective and appreciation of Singapore’s maritime industry.
The official reopening of the maritime gallery precedes Singapore Maritime Week, which begins on 22nd April. To kickstart the week, there will be a free musical at the Vivocity Amphitheatre at 7pm on April 22nd and 23rd. The hour-long Sea Dreams musical tells the story of a young girl pursuing a career in the maritime industry. Find out more at the National Arts Council website.
Maritime Gallery Information:
Opening hours: 9am to 6pm from Tues to Sun. Closed on Mon unless it is a public holiday.
Admission fees: Free.
