Interact with hundreds of butterflies at Butterflies Up-Close
By Nicole-Marie Ng
Science Centre Singapore has launched the nation’s first butterfly vivarium, a 600 square metre indoor butterfly park where guests can get personal with over 500 butterflies.
By showcasing this beautiful insect species, they hope that more people, especially children, can come to understand and appreciate insects instead of just thinking of them as creepy crawlies.
The butterfly sanctuary was developed in partnership with Sentosa’s Butterfly and Insect Kingdom who brought in 16 butterfly species from the region for this project. Some of the butterflies are also local species that can be commonly found in gardens and nature reserves.
Butterflies Up-Close is an educational experience for the whole family.
Butterflies up-close and personal
The Science Centre exhibition follows the four stages of a butterflies metamorphosis, tracing its journey from egg to adulthood. Each zone has interactive touch points, live displays and a vivid storyline that teaches the visitor about the lives of these fragile creatures.
Even as an adult, I managed to learn something new at the exhibit. For example, even though butterflies mainly shut their wings when they’re at rest, some butterflies do leave their wings spread open to bask in the light of the sun to warm their bodies up.
Knowledgeable staff showing the media how to pin butterflies to keep as souvenirs. The butterflies are dried for a month after their life cycle is complete.
Making education entertaining
Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, the CEO of Singapore Science Centre, said that the exhibition will help visitors get better acquainted with nature. In the butterfly vivarium, visitors are taught the right way to handle butterflies, allowing them to land on their arms or even face.
He hopes that the exhibition will help foster a deeper appreciation towards these often misunderstood invertebrate communities, and create a better awareness of the species.
Insects play an important role in the development of science and by getting young scientists interested in butterflies, it could stir up exciting innovations for the future.
Butterflies Up-Close is located at SCS Hall D, and will be open to the public from Apr 30. Tickets are priced at $10, excluding admission to Science Centre Singapore.
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