Posted on Mon, 19 Sep 2011
Titanic, Zheng He & All Things Historical!
I love history. I can’t dwell all day on handbags and shoes, but I can spend a day in a good museum. And it’s great how Singapore is bringing in loads of good exhibitions these days, and opening up lovely museums around town. Good news is, history buffs out there are in for a treat this year end, as there are so many good programmes lined up.
NYC has got MOMA, and on 15 October, Singapore will have MEMA. Pen it down; that’s the opening of Singapore’s first maritime museum, the Maritime Experiential Museum & Aquarium (MEMA) at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). Housed in an iconic steel and glass ship hull at the RWS waterfront, MEMA is all about the adventures of the sea trade between Asia and the Middle East. Remember Zheng He?
Walk in and the first thing you’ll see is the mighty Bao Chuan, a full-sized replica of the bow of Zheng He’s treasure ship, then wander through the Souk Gallery that recreates the sights and sounds of the ancient markets where mariners like Zheng He traded at, and see a replica of the Jewel of Muscat, a 9thcentury Arab dhow that was a gift from the Sultanate of Oman to Singapore. Thrill seekers will get a nice spin in the Typhoon Theatre, a 150-seat 360-degree multimedia theatre, where visitors “board” an Arabia-bound sailing ship and are taken on a voyage that takes on a perilous turn when it encounters a storm.
Expect a lively museum with talks, educational programmes and workshops on maritime history. These are led by academic experts, professional facilitators and veteran maritime industry leaders on a variety of topics including exploration, arts, and the cultural history of various regions.
Details: www.rwsentosa.com or call 6577 8888
On 29 October, the the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands will present Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition – minus Leonardo di Caprio. This is serious stuff, featuring 275 artifacts, 14 of which have not been seen before. These artifacts were rescued from more than 3,800m below the ocean surface at the Ship’s final resting place, offering a poignant look at this iconic ship and her passengers. The exhibition will run through the 100th anniversary of the historic sailing and sinking of the great Ship in April 2012.
Lots of fascinating things to see: vials of perfume from a maker who was traveling to New York to sell his samples, china etched with the logo of the elite White Star Line, postage stamps, sheet music, coins, jewelry, personal items and many other authentic objects offer historical insights into the life and times of travelers of that era. They will be displayed in galleries which have been recreated to resemble actual locations in Titanic, such as the First and Third Class Cabins, Verandah Café, the famous Grand Staircase, the Promenade deck and Boiler Room.
To immerse you in Titanic’s story, you will get a replica boarding pass of an actual passenger aboard Titanic when you enter the exhibition. Then embark on your journey through the life of the Titanic, moving through the ship’s construction, to life on board, to the sinking and amazing artifact rescue efforts. Finally, take the boarding pass to the “Memorial Wall” in the Memorial Gallery and find out whether your passenger survived. To understand the impact of Titanic in Singapore, a new gallery ’Singapore 1912′ explores how the sinking of the great Ship resonated in Singapore.
www.marinabaysands.com/ArtScienceMuseum
