Ever wondered about having an up-close and personal experience with nature? The ArtScience Museum, known for its many immersive and innovative exhibits, now has a new exhibition Sensory Odyssey: Into the Heart of Our Living World that will take visitors through seven different ecosystems, where the beauty of living nature awaits.
Sensory Odyssey Makes Its Asian Debut; Created With 350 Collaborators
Sensory Odyssey: Into the Heart of Our Living World was first presented in Paris back in 2021, and is now holding its Asian debut in Singapore.
It was conceptualised and produced by 350 collaborators around the world, from various disciplines. This includes artists, designers, biologists, engineers, developers, neuroscientists, scent-makers, and media specialists.
From displaying breathtaking scenes captured around the world, using unique scents that mimic that of the environment and sounds that make up the scene in its habitat, the team blends cinema, science and technology into a compelling journey for anyone who steps foot into the exhibit.
Launched by Sensory Odyssey Studio in collaboration with the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, the exhibition includes soundscape works by Oscar-winning composer Nicolas Becker and custom scents by International Flavors & Fragrances.
Explore And Travel Through Seven Different Ecosystems With Your Five Senses
Embarking on a journey through seven different natural locations around the world at Sensory Odyssey, visitors are invited to wonder and empathise with their five senses through an intimate and emotional experience.
I: Savannah Nights
As you traverse through the dimly lit path, enter the African Savannah and listen to the sounds of various animals moving around the space and gather to drink from a watering hole.
Smell the scent of moisture and dry ground as you imagine the environment and setting, which turns ashy and burnt – as a nearby bushfire appears and sends the animals fleeing.
II: Tropical Rainforest
Travel to South America and discover the world’s oldest living ecosystem, the rainforest, in French Guiana.
Admire the forest canopy in a 360 degree fashion as you observe the flora and fauna that reside at different points of the rainforest at Sensory Odyssey. Notice the scents of blooming flowers and damp wood, which shifts as you take a slow descent down to the forest floor.
III: On the trail of bats
While many creatures are active by day, the Serotine Bat is a nocturnal creature that explores the forest by night. Follow along and witness echolation through the perspective of the bats as it hunts for food using soundwaves to aid in navigation and hunting.
Aside from hearing high-pitched clicks from the bats bouncing off on objects, see how it reveals the topography of their surroundings, which allows them to move swiftly.
IV: Underground
Step into the underground, where almost 25 percent of known animal and plant species reside. Observe the intricacies of nature underneath the soil, where you can find organisms like bacteria, insects and mammals.
Visitors will be able to witness the connections between plant roots and fungi mycelium, which paints an interesting picture of the interdependence of organisms, showing how the ecosystem sustains itself.
Catch scents of fresh soil and mushrooms linger as life displays itself across the screen.
V: Prairie and Insects
Get up close to the sights of various insects as they flit across the meadow.
Catch a honeybee pollinating flowers, grasshoppers hopping onto leaves, a praying mantis feeding on its prey and many other creatures in an exclusive close-up view.
Experience a gentle breeze blow past, along with sweet smells of flowers and pollen.
VI: Into the Deep Blue Sea
Be enthralled by marine life as you spend time with a pod of sperm whales deep in the Indian Ocean, near Mauritius. Listen to the sounds to hear pulsating clicks, which sperm whales use to communicate with one another.
Notice the friendly connection between the sperm whale and schools of fish as they travel together through the waters, and catch whiffs of the sea as the sound of water bubbles around.
VII: To the End of the World
With every journey embarked on, there must be an end.
Visitors will witness the reality of our world as it is plagued by climate change. From the far north of Greenland, move across environments through land and sea and be amazed by the breathtaking landscapes and the animals that reside in it.
At the end, icebergs can be seen breaking down and plunging into the Arctic waters. Hear the cracks of the shards form as cold winds howl and blow.
Discover: Our Nature, Our Stories
In efforts to bring about localisation to visitors, the final gallery presents more details which explains each ecosystem encountered throughout the exhibition.
Find out and listen to local experts and advocates as they share stories about biodiversity, conservation efforts and research in Singapore.
Before leaving the exhibit, visitors are encouraged to contribute back by reflecting and penning their thoughts on paper leaves which can be attached to a large mangrove tree pictured behind the activity area.
The ArtScience Museum is collaborating with WWF Singapore to plant mangrove trees in Rajang-Belawai-Paloh Delta in Sarawak, Malaysia. This will provide coastal defence and a habitat for the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin.
With every paper leaf planted by a visitor on the wall, a real mangrove tree will be planted.
Visit Sensory Odyssey: Into the Heart of Our Living World At The ArtScience Museum
Sensory Odyssey: Into the Heart of Our Living World will run from 27 May to 29 October 2023.
Tickets will be available for purchase at all Marina Bay Sands box offices and online.
Visitors are advised to pre-purchase tickets online in advance due to limited capacity and timed entries to the exhibition.
The Art Science Museum will also be hosting guided tours, drop in sessions and movie screenings, which are available for visitors to enjoy. Find out more information and pre-book your tickets here.
If you love nature, you may also enjoy reading about this place where you can get upclose to animals in a naturalistic habitat.
