Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) is sprucing up its offering with guided tours for families!
Join the Living Green Eco Tour to find out more about eco-sustainability or the Permanent Exhibits Gallery guided tour for Through The Lens Of Time to gain greater insights into the Singapore Story. These tours are part of SDC's efforts to add to its existing family friendly attractions and provide a wider range of offerings for families visiting the centre!
Click here for the latest family events happening at the SDC!
*Thanks to SDC for inviting us to experience the tours so that we can better share the experience with you.
Living Green Eco Tour
Dates: 1st & 3rd Sat of each month, 2 pm
Duration: 1.5 hours
Price: $10 (members) / $12 (non-members) per pax
Recommended Age: 3 years old and above
This 1.5 hour tour focuses on how everyone can live a greener lifestyle and build a more sustainable Singapore. Through a visit to the mini-garden, a microgreens planting workshop, and exploration of solar panels, kids will learn more about the environment and sustainability. Let's look at the individual activities within the tour!
Urban Garden Discovery
Did you know that there is a mini-garden at the SDC? Follow your tour guide as he brings you to explore traditional and modern farming methods at the SDC's own urban farm. You and your little ones will get to see, touch and smell a variety of herbs and greens, and learn to identify them too!
In the event of wet weather, you will play a sensory game indoors where the family tries to identify different scents in bottles. Think you can differentiate the scent of a lemon from a lime?
*We learned that blue is an uncommon colour in nature. What herbs and greens can you think of that gives us a natural blue dye?
Solar Panel Exploration
Approximately 50% of electricity consumption at the SDC is powered by solar panels floating on The Discovery Lake, along Singapore’s longest sheltered solar-panelled walkway and on the roof of the main building. Excite the kids with the opportunity to don a life-jacket and get up close to the floating solar panel installations by taking a walk on the boardwalk to the middle of the lake!
This tour-exclusive experience is not just exciting and great for learning but also an opportunity for a family photo to be taken at the scenic spot too!
*BYKIDO TIP: the boardwalk will be wet so wear appropriate footwear if you are going on the tour.
Microgreens Planting Workshop
Bring home your very own microgreens by taking part in this urban gardening workshop! You will learn that growing your own greens may not be as difficult as you imagine! Even the little ones can take part to discover the joy and excitement of planting - you might just find a surprise that there are green fingers within the family too!
Keep the little ones excited as they check on their garden each day! You will spot little seedlings after a day, and a forest of greens after 4 days (see our pictures above)!
Tea Making Workshop
The butterfly pea flower is a blue flower (remember our question above about blue dye in nature?) that is suitable for making tea. Watch the colour of your water change blue as the butterfly pea flowers are added and infused with the fragrant scent of lemongrass.
*Due to safe management measures, you will not be able to taste the tea during the workshop.
Tickets and Booking
The tour runs on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month at 2 pm. Each tour is 1.5hours and cost $10 (members) / $12 (non-members) per pax. Tickets can be purchased from Singapore Discovery Centre.
Through The Lens Of Time - Guided Tour
Dates: Daily, 2 pm & 4 pm
Duration: 45 - 60 mins
Price:
- Admission to the gallery: Free for Singaporeans and PRs, $10 (adult) / $8 (child) for Non-Singaporeans
- Guided Tour: $4 for Singaporeans, PRs and Non-Singaporeans
Recommended Age: 6 years old and above
You must visit the Permanent Exhibits Gallery, Through The Lens Of Time, when visiting the SDC. The gallery brings you on a journey through the lens of time and looks at Singapore's past from Sang Nila Utama to Sir Stamford Raffles, through the Japanese Occupation and the various challenges faced.
You can explore the exhibit on your own or go on a guided tour for a small fee. With the guide, you will pick-up nuggets of information that is beyond the exhibit.
The Beginnings
Photo Credits: Singapore Discovery Centre
The tour starts from over 700 years ago as we explore the history of early Singapore. Follow your guide as he navigates you through the visual journey of our beginnings as a thriving maritime emporium to a British colonial port.
The Turning Point
This part of the tour focuses on the Japanese Occupation and reflects on the stories of courage and resilience. Do note that there may be parts of the tour where information and graphics are suited for an older audience, and you may wish to inform the guide to cater to your child's age.
Otherwise, don't miss the Days of Darkness, a short film that looks at the atrocities of war and the challenging circumstances of life through the eyes of a young girl.
Against All Odds
Many of us may have read about our struggles as a growing nation but may not know much of the challenges that lead up to our sovereignty, and here is where your guide can share more stories and details of the displays.
Building Our Foundations
Take a look at the events that defines Singapore. This section starts with a look at the cable-car accident in 1983 and shares the stories from the different stakeholders in the accident.
Towards the end of the tour, you and your kids can step into the recording booth and take the role of a reporter. Using a greenscreen background, record yourselves reading key moments of Singapore's development, and learn new tidbits too!
You can rewatch your family's "performance" after the recording and send a copy of it to yourself to keep the memories!
Ticketing and Booking
The tour runs on the daily at 2pm and 4pm. Each tour is about 45 mins to an hour and cost $4 per pax. Non-Singaporeans will also need to purchase an admission ticket to the gallery too. Tickets can be purchased from Singapore Discovery Centre.
