A new Science Centre located next to Chinese Garden MRT station is targeted to open around the end of 2027, its 50th anniversary.
"This is an outcome of more than a decade of collaborative STEM efforts involving many partners" and is the result of "long-term integrated planning", Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive of Science Centre Board.
On Nov. 1, 2023, the Science Centre Board held a groundbreaking ceremony at the 7.4-hectare site it will be built on.
About 25 per cent bigger than the current Science Centre in Jurong East, visitors can look forward to unique facilities and more programmes at the new 55,000 sqm building.
What to expect
This includes the new KidsSTOP, which will be twice the size of the current one.
It will feature hands-on interactive exhibits that encourage exploration for young children.
"The Centre will also work with partners to prototype exhibitions and programmes that will enable parents to play a bigger role in facilitating their child’s exploration of various educational activities," according to a joint press release by the Ministry of Education and Science Centre.
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The Science Centre plans to foster more dialogues on "real-world issues" such as sustainability, climate change, and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence through workshops, exhibitions and seminars.
This will help to cater to the interests of youths and adults.
To provide a more novel experience for visitors, it will also also testbed new concepts and ideas.
Previously, the Science Centre has experimented with concepts beyond science, such as the Comic Art and Sci-Fi Expo in September 2023.
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The Science Centre's fire tornado will also be located at the Outdoor Amphitheatre, instead of indoors at the current centre, and will be open to the public.
From 2024, visitors will be invited to engage in an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience and view a physical 3D model of the new Science Centre. This will be hosted at the current Science Centre.
Exhibitions about the new centre's offerings have been displayed at some schools and will also be roving across selected public libraries.
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View of Jurong Lake
The new Science Centre will be surrounded by lush gardens and spaces, with science exhibits located along curated nature trails.
This allows for potential collaborations between the Science Centre and the National Parks Board (NParks), the national water agency PUB, and nature groups, to co-develop learning trails and programmes.
Below is an artist's impression of an Eco-Lab situated within an Eco-Garden.
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From the Science Centre, visitors can enjoy views of the surrounding Jurong Lake Garden.
A 30m-wide outdoor activity plaza will also link the Chinese Garden MRT station to the Jurong Lake promenade.
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And not forgetting the Science Centre's observatory.
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