After a ten-month transformation, the National Museum of Singapore proudly launches its newly revamped Glass Rotunda, now officially named the Shaw Foundation Glass Rotunda, with the unveiling of a landmark immersive experience, Singapore Odyssea: A Journey Through Time. Opening to the public on 8 August 2025, this installation marks the museum’s SG60 gift to the nation, and continues its tradition of blending art, history, and technology to bring Singapore’s heritage to life in new and engaging ways.

Replacing the beloved Story of the Forest, Singapore Odyssea builds on nearly a decade of innovation in digital storytelling. It retains the spirit of wonder and curiosity that made its predecessor such a hit, while charting an ambitious new direction with richer interactivity, environmental reflections, and deeply personal engagements.

“Story of the Forest became incredibly meaningful to both us and our visitors,” shared a former curator during the launch. “When it closed, many rushed to experience it one last time. It marked a shift in how we curated—not just through timelines, but through emotional and sensory action. Singapore Odyssea is the natural evolution of that thinking.”

Singapore Odyssea is presented as a time-travelling maritime voyage that spans 700 years of Singapore’s history, told in four episodic chapters. Designed by a local team of curators and creatives, the experience combines stunning digital animations, immersive soundscapes, and responsive environments to give visitors a multisensory glimpse into the nation’s evolving identity.

Visitors begin their journey in a futuristic, imagined Singapore before descending the iconic spiral ramp, travelling in reverse through major historical milestones: from scenes of independence and wartime resilience, to the colonial era, and finally, to pre-colonial coastal communities. The centrepiece of the gallery—a suspended LED globe—illuminates the space with a breathtaking visualisation of maritime networks that have connected Singapore to the world over centuries. At the base of the Rotunda, a cinematic digital waterfall and interactive floor respond to visitors’ movements, creating a sense of shared discovery and emotional climax.

Ms Chung May Khuen, Director of the National Museum of Singapore, explained the museum’s intention: “With Singapore Odyssea, we wanted to continue using our collection and stories to present Singapore’s history in an engaging way that’s both accessible and meaningful. We’ve built on the success of Story of the Forest by adding even more interactivity, and exploring history not just as a sequence of events, but as a living dialogue.”

This philosophy is reflected in the installation’s environmental theme. Sustainability threads through the entire experience, from early coastal settlements to Singapore’s current and future green ambitions. Myths such as the magical Pauh Janggi tree and tide-shifting crabs are reinterpreted through immersive media to draw attention to contemporary concerns like climate change and biodiversity loss.

Principal Curator of National Museum Singapore Priscilla Chua noted, “SG60 is a moment to reflect not just on where we’ve been, but where we’re going. Singapore Odyssea encourages visitors to think about our shared future, shaped by the sea and the environment that has always been part of our national story.”

One of the installation’s most innovative features is the use of personalised RFID-enabled wristbands, which allow visitors to ‘adopt’ a digital animal companion inspired by native Singapore fauna—like pangolins, hornbills, and coastal crabs. These companions react to visitors’ movements, unlocking hidden animations and lighting paths, providing a layer of interaction that deepens emotional engagement.

At the journey’s end, visitors symbolically release their companions into a digital ‘well’—a gesture reminding us that what we borrow from nature must be returned with care.

It’s a simple yet meaningful act, connecting connects our personal experience to a larger call to sustainability. As the museum ushers in this new chapter, it does so with an eye firmly on the future, one that honours the past, connects generations, and redefines what it means to step into history.

Images courtesy of National Museum Singapore

Singapore Odyssea: A Journey Through Time reopens on 8th August 2025. Admission to Singapore Odyssea is free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents. For more information, visit the National Museum’s Facebook and Instagram pages.