Ever wondered about what goes on in the world of ants? Take a closer look at TinyTopia: Colony to Nation, a special exhibition that showcases the behaviour of these tiny insects and presents it with a novel narrative that ties it back to the Singapore story.
TinyTopia: Colony to Nation Ant Exhibition
Located on the second floor of a shophouse along North Bridge Road, a stone’s throw away from Kampong Glam, TinyTopia may seem tiny to us but it is a mega-metropolis of ants.
The special ant exhibition can be visited on a guided tour where visitors get to learn a lot about the fascinating creatures and how they work together. And since it is SG60 this year, the story about the ants is presented alongside Singapore’s own journey over the last sixty years.
UE SQUARE’S COSMIC SPACE EXPEDITION: Have An Out-Of-This-World Adventure!
CARNIVAL OF CHRISTMAS CHEER: Celebrate and Win at Plantation Plaza and Northshore Plaza!
SNOW MUCH TO CELEBRATE: Christmas Fun at The Centrepoint
The Fascinating World of Ants
Did you know that there are estimated to be more than 200 species of ants in Singapore? We didn’t. And each of these species have special traits and characteristics.
The traits of selected ant species are revealed through three different chapters at the TinyTopia exhibition.
Each chapter tells of Singapore’s journey of transformation from kampongs to skyscraper over the last 60 years through dioramas with live ant colonies.
Ant Colonies and Singapore’s Journey in Dioramas
The first chapter of the exhibition, Roots of the Colony, is an introduction to how ant colonies are founded. Ant colonies start off with a first generation of worker ants and they lay the groundwork for future generations to thrive.
The next chapter, Builders in Action, provides a closer look at how ants communicate and are able to complete tasks by working together.
Rise of the Supercolony, the third chapter, showcases more how ant colonies operate and are able to accomplish even complex tasks and problem solve.
The formicariums, or ant farms in a tank, feature a variety of ant species where you can observe the ants’ behaviour.
The formicariums are designed to be dioramas that feature Singaporean scenes and recognisable landmarks such as the Esplanade and Gardens by the Bay’s cooled conservatories.
The timed admission to TinyTopia includes a guided tour and the experience was extremely kid friendly. Our guide engaged the kids and made sure that they were able to have a good look at the ants and their behaviour.
He also made use of interactive props to illustrate the characteristics of the ants. Magnifying glasses also allowed the kids to get a close-up look of the tiny ants.
Ant Art
In another section of the exhibition, we were introduced to Ant Pointillism Art. There were portraits of Singapore’s prime ministers drawn by Lim Yu Heng, an artist with autism.
From a distance, they looked like regular portraits but on closer inspection, we discovered that the images were made of thousands upon thousands of drawings of ants. They were created by Yu Heng and brings together his fascination for insects and love for art.
The Ant Pointillism Art at TinyTopia: Colony to Nation is available for sale.
Other Insects
The last part of the guided experience at TinyTopia: Colony to Nation was a chance to get upclose with other incredible insects such as the stick insect and mantis.
It was a chance to learn more about the behaviour of these tiny creatures.
Add Ons
In addition to the tour, you can also sign up for other add-ons such as the use of the Macro Photography Studio where you can take photos of exotic insect specimens posed in a naturalistic setting.
Visiting TinyTopia, the Ant Exhibition
The TinyTopia exhibition is an interesting and family-friendly experience. The guided tour is very insightful and the characteristics of different ant species were creatively presented alongside the Singapore history narrative. The best part of the experience was that the enthusiasm of our guide, who was the exhibition founder, which as simply infectious.
TinyTopia: Colony to Nation is on from now till 28 December 2025.
Where: 743a North Bridge Road, Singapore 198711
When:
Tue, Wed, Fri – 6 to 10 pm
Sat & Sun – 8 am to 11 pm
How much:
Adults: $15
Children (ages 3 to 12): $12
Weekday Special (for all): $12
Under 3 & Seniors 65+: Free
Family Pack: $50 (includes two adults & two children)
Website: TinyTopia Instagram
