Where Culture Meets Cool: Why Malaysians Love the ArtScience Museum
Let’s be real — few museums in Southeast Asia spark the kind of buzz that Singapore’s ArtScience Museum does. Shaped like a blooming lotus and planted on Marina Bay Sands, it’s more than an architectural flex. For 14 years, it’s been curating immersive, tech-forward exhibitions that mix fashion, film, sci-fi, and street culture.
From anime dreams to couture that defies gravity, these 10 exhibitions didn’t just entertain — they inspired a whole generation of creatives, thinkers, and travellers. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or planning your next cultural escape from KL, here’s why this museum needs to be on your radar.
1. Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses
Target Keyword: ArtScience Museum Singapore fashion exhibition
This wasn’t fashion — this was futuristic sorcery. The Dutch designer’s 140-piece retrospective blurred the lines between biology and beauty:
- Dresses that looked 3D-printed by nature
- Accessories resembling fossils from an alien planet
- Immersive zones mapping her mind through light, sound, and movement
“Van Herpen proves couture can be a form of scientific inquiry,” says fashion futurist Li Mei Tan, founder of TechTulle Lab.
2. The World of Studio Ghibli
Target Keyword: Studio Ghibli exhibition Singapore
Ever wanted to walk through the world of Spirited Away or My Neighbour Totoro? This was your ticket:
- 16 life-sized scenes
- Handmade sets by Japanese artisans
- Curated by Studio Ghibli themselves
A nostalgic fever dream for anime lovers — and a must-visit for Gen Z travellers heading to SG.
3. Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon
Target Keyword: Frida Kahlo exhibition Singapore
Not your typical art retrospective. This one hits different:
- 8 immersive zones with 360° projections
- Archival photos, films, and interactive art
- A full-body emotional journey through pain, politics, and power
More than a painter — Frida became a symbol of resilience and rebellion.
“Kahlo’s story resonates deeply with young Southeast Asian women,” notes Dr. Aishah Nordin, gender studies lecturer at Universiti Malaya.
4. Goddess: Brave. Bold. Beautiful.
Target Keyword: feminist exhibition ArtScience Museum
A visual love letter to screen queens who broke every rule:
- From Michelle Yeoh to Laverne Cox
- Rare film costumes and behind-the-scenes sketches
- 120 years of feminist iconography
5. New Eden: Science Fiction Mythologies Transformed
Target Keyword: sci-fi art exhibition Singapore
What if sci-fi was told through Asian, female, and indigenous lenses? New Eden reimagined the future:
- Works by all women artists
- Themes of ancestry, cosmic myth, and intersectional futures
- Part gallery, part spiritual portal
Don’t sleep on this — it’s where Afrofuturism meets Taoist alchemy.
6. Sneakertopia: Step Into Street Culture
Target Keyword: street culture exhibition Singapore
Hypebeasts, unite. This sneaker-verse exploded with:
- 100+ rare kicks (Yeezys, Jordans, collabs galore)
- Art by street legends and muralists
- Deep dives into sneaker influence on music, fashion, and tech
💥 Street culture isn’t a trend — it’s the future.
7. Patricia Piccinini: We Are Connected
Target Keyword: ArtScience Museum sculpture exhibition
Equal parts eerie and endearing:
- Sculptures of hybrid creatures with baby faces and animal bodies
- Touchable, lifelike textures
- Themes of biotech, kinship, and empathy
It’s the weirdest thing you’ll fall in love with.
8. STAR WARS™ Identities: The Exhibition
Target Keyword: Star Wars exhibition Singapore
The ultimate fan experience with:
- 200+ original props, models, and sketches
- Interactive Jedi/Sith avatar creation
- Deep dive into character identity and legacy
For every Malaysian Gen Z who grew up with lightsabers and lore.
9. Minimalism: Space,Light,Object
Target Keyword: minimalism exhibition Southeast Asia
Slow down and breathe. This international collab brought together:
- Artists from Singapore, Japan, the US, and beyond
- Meditative installations using silence, light, and geometry
- Minimalism redefined as spiritual clarity
🧘♀️ Think of it as digital detox — in a gallery.
10. SERPENTIform
Target Keyword: Bulgari exhibition ArtScience Museum
Opulent and hypnotic:
- Bulgari’s serpent symbol reimagined through jewellery, art, and fashion
- Ancient Cleopatra aesthetics meet modern luxe
- Bold, sensual, unapologetically extra
⚡ If Met Gala had a reptilian theme, it would look like this.
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