SINGAPORE – An animated otter swims around playfully in a virtual kelp forest as a bright yellow submarine cheerfully guides visitors through seagrass meadows, microscopic plankton communities and other ocean environments.
This virtual reality experience is part of Science Centre Singapore’s new immersive exhibition ONE Ocean: Every Action Ripples, which makes its global debut here on May 30.
Presented in partnership with French marine research and conservation non-profit Tara Ocean Foundation, the exhibition will allow visitors to explore the ocean’s depths through unseen footage from expeditions and interactive installations highlighting discoveries made over two decades of ocean research.
Visitors can step into a replica of the Tara Polar Station, a drifting observatory and laboratory studying the Arctic environment, and get a glimpse into what it is like to study one of the world’s most remote locations through multimedia and informative panels.
Produced by French digital media company Ride FX, the exhibition features nine other zones, each focused on different aspects of marine ecosystems.
The Seven Wonders of the Ocean installation at the media preview of ONE Ocean: Every Action Ripples, at Science Centre Singapore, on May 28.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
In a dedicated section of the exhibition on Singapore’s marine environment, visitors can get up close with specimens of creatures found along local shores, such as the ribbon jellyfish and coral shrimp.
The section also spotlights threats to marine life, along with ongoing conservation efforts by research organisations, schools and volunteers.
An immersive room will take visitors through seven wonders of the ocean in a 360-degree projection, allowing them to encounter marine life such as brightly coloured sea slugs and explore fascinating places like the Great Barrier Reef.
In Symphonies of the Ocean, visitors can become the ocean’s DJ, mixing sounds recorded from ocean expeditions, such as dolphin calls and icebergs.
Guests can learn about various sea legends like the Kraken and Kusu Island in Legends of the Ocean.
Visitors can also learn about the “superpowers” of marine micro-organisms, from devouring carbon dioxide to producing oxygen, in a section on microscopic life forms.
At colouring stations, guests can turn their sketches into animated drawings of sea creatures, while AI-powered photobooths transform visitors into deep-sea explorers or mythical creatures.
Ride FX executive producer Elia Vermander said he tapped storytelling techniques to translate marine research into an exhibition that can instil a sense of joy and wonder.
“The exhibition today is mostly there to inspire and make people curious, which might then lead them to further explore topics such as blue carbon and corals on their own,” he said.
Science Centre Board chief executive Tham Mun See said: “The ocean governs our climate, underpins our food systems, and is home to the biodiversity that sustains life on this planet. And yet, for many of us, the ocean somehow feels remote or something we take for granted.
An installation featuring the mythological Kraken at the Legends of the Oceans section at the media preview of ONE Ocean: Every Action Ripples, at Science Centre Singapore, on May 28.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
“We want every visitor, regardless of age or background, to leave with a felt sense of connection to the ocean, and the belief that their actions, however small, send ripples far beyond what they can see,” she added.
She said she hoped visitors would be inspired to play their part in ocean conservation, especially as climate change becomes an increasingly pressing issue to tackle.
Tara Ocean Foundation secretary-general Sebastien Ruiz added: “It’s impossible to do something alone – it’s crucial to take action collectively.
“This exhibition is the first step to involve young people and others, because if we love something, we will want to protect it.”
The exhibition runs until Jan 3, 2027.
Tickets can be purchased at https://www.science.edu.sg/whats-on/one-ocean, and they include complimentary admission to Science Centre Singapore.
A holographic image of marine micro-organisms on display at the media preview of ONE Ocean: Every Action Ripples, at Science Centre Singapore, on May 28.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Standard admission costs $24 for adults and $18 for children. For Singaporeans and permanent residents, tickets are priced at $15 (off-peak periods) and $18 (peak) for adults, and $10 (off-peak) and $13 (peak) for children and seniors.
The virtual reality experience Secrets of the Blue can be purchased at an additional $10.