Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
145
change of clothing is r ecommended here). Admission is fr ee and it 's open Tuesday to
Sunday from 8am to 7pm (
&
65/6465-0196
).
The gar dens hav e thr ee lakes. S ymphony Lake surr ounds an island band shell for
“Concert in the Park” performances by the local symphony and international enter tain-
ers. Call visitor services at the number below for performance schedules.
Volunteers run free guided tours of differ ent areas of the par k every Saturday at 9am
and 10am, often with additional tours at 11am and 4pm. Register 15 minutes before the
walk at the Visitor Centre near Nassim Gate.
Main entrance at corner of Cluny Rd. and Holland Rd.
&
65/6471-7361.
www.nparks.gov.sg. Free admis-
sion. Daily 5am-midnight. The National Orchid Garden adults S$5 (US$3.35/£2.25), children under 12 and
seniors S$1 (US65¢/45p). Daily 8:30am-7pm. Orchard MRT, then bus no. 7, 105, 106, or 174 from Orchard
Blvd.
Singapore Discovery Centre
Kids
Billing itself as an “ edutainment” center, the
SDC uses a phenomenal array of multimedia exhibits to encourage y oung Singaporeans
to reflect on the culture of modern Singapore and its global ambitions. One offers visitors
a chance to be an on-the-spot TV reporter, another lets y ou build a vir tual community,
measuring y our success in pr oviding basic infrastr ucture and meeting cultural needs
along the way . Though the SDC is mor e focused on civilian life than it used to be,
national defense is still the underlying focus of many exhibits—National Service remains
mandatory for Singaporean men. That means there are plenty of militar y-style exhibits
and games, including the S hooting Gallery, a computer-simulated combat firing range
using real but decommissioned M16 rifles. IMAX features roll at the five-story iWERKS
Theatre regularly, in two and three dimensions. When you get hungry, there's a fast-food
court. You can also hav e a 30-minute bus tour of the neighboring S ingapore Air Force
Training Institute free with SDC admission. Inquire about tour times at the front coun-
ter.
510 Upper Jurong Rd.
&
65/6792-6188.
www.sdc.com.sg. Adults S$10 (US$6.70/£4.50), children 11 and
unde S$6 (US$4/£2.70). Tues-Sun 9am-6pm. MRT to Boon Lay; transfer to SBS no. 182 or 193.
7
Singapore Science Centre
Kids
The center features hands-on exhibits in tr ue sci-
ence-center spirit. Interestingly, the 7,500 sq. m (80,729 sq. ft.) of exhibits directly relate
to the science syllabus of the local school system, fr om primary school level all the way
through junior college. The galleries are all clearly marked to explain their interactive use,
and study sheets are also available. The free Water Works gallery outside is fantastic fun
for kids (
warning:
they'll be soaked in moments). The Technology Gallery is one of the
more interesting exhibits, if you can wrestle the kids away fr om the machines. The Dis-
covery Zone's insectarium is fascinating for any one who isn't horrified b y bugs. I n the
main atrium, there's a Tesla coil that generates electrical spar ks 5m (16 ft.) long. There's
a Virtual Voyages simulation theater plus the O mni Theatre planetarium, which has a
projection booth encased in glass so you can check out how it works and an IMAX dome
theatre. B est to av oid visits during w eekends and school holiday times in J
une and
December.
15 S cience C entre Rd ., off Jur ong Town Hall Rd .
&
65/6425-2500.
w ww.science.edu.sg. A dults S$6
(US$4/£2.70), children 15 and under S$3 (US$2/£1.35). Tues-Sun and public holidays 10am-6pm. Jurong
East MRT to bus no. 66 or 335.
Southern Ridges
This 9km (5
1
/
2
-mile) chain of park area starts at Mount Faber
Park (where you can catch the cable car to Harbourfront and Sentosa island) and ends at
the West Coast P ark. It incorporates two ne w pedestrian bridges, the Alexandra Ar ch
and, my fav orite, The Henderson Waves bridge, which connects M ount Faber Park to
