During my 9-month stay in Singapore, I vowed to myself to visit a lot of tourist spots in the country. The Maritime Experiential Museum & Aquarium (MEMA) is definitely included in my list of places to visit. It just opened in October 15, 2011.
I decided to visit on November 4, so the place was quite new. For $11, I got an entrance ticket to the museum, and one show in the Typhoon Theatre.
Basically, when you enter the museum, you'll find yourself embarking on a journey to discover the Southeast Asia’s maritime trade between the East and the West from the 9th to 19th century. You'll learn about the epic voyages of Admiral Zheng, aboard his massive treasure ship (Bao Chuan), with other explorers along the Maritime Silk Route. Featuring more than 400 objects, the Maritime Experiential Museum & Aquarium is the first and only museum in Singapore dedicated to showcase the history of ancient maritime trade. Inside, you'll see life-sized historic ship replicas, shipwreck artefacts, interactive exhibits and educational programmes for everyone.
Since it's newly opened, the aquarium wasn't ready for the public yet, so I wasn't able to go there. But I was particularly interested to check out the Typhoon Theatre. The Typhoon Theatre is a 360-degree multimedia theatre that takes visitors on a perilous voyage on board a 9th-century Chinese junk. Laden with cargo, the ship runs into a storm. The sea roars, the skies darken and the ship rolls, pitches, turns and finally sinks. At the end, the ship’s passengers find themselves in the depths of the ocean, up close with the shipwreck. For $6, It was quite enjoyable for me, I felt like I was aboard the ship, it was cold and I could feel some mist against my skin. The effects in the theatre were good overall.
It's really a cultural immersion more than anything. If you're not so much into museums, there's a chance you'll get bored. But if you're traveling in Singapore and if you're up for an afternoon basking in culture and you're interested in maritime folklore, then by all means visit the Maritime Experiential Museum & Aquarium.
For ticket prices, go to their official website.
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Museum
Mondays to Thursdays: 10am - 7pm
Fridays to Sundays & Public Holidays: 10am - 9pm
Typhoon Theatre
Mondays to Thursdays: 10am - 6pm
Fridays to Sundays & Public Holidays: 10am - 8pm
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