By Gladys Koh (26A01B) and Irene Eva Thomas (26A01B)
Standing below the ribbed arches of the newly opened Singapore Oceanarium, we, the members of Raffles Press, were met with an unexpected sight: a kindergarten school excursion. Children milling around, bright-eyed and full of wonder, eagerly pointing to projections of sea creatures above. Truthfully, they were not much different from us—a group of bushy-tailed Rafflesians keenly jotting down the sights and senses around us.
The Singapore Oceanarium, previously the S.E.A Aquarium, reopened in July 2025 and is almost triple the size of the previous one. Split into 22 different zones, the Oceanarium boasts an incredible range of sea creatures, from prehistoric sea jellies (which have existed for over 500 million years) to recent breeding successes, including the bowmouth guitarfish, a critically endangered ray species. Walking into the tunnel-like entrance, we entered almost pitch-black darkness, save for the luminescence of the hundreds of sea jellies all around us. It felt completely ethereal.
The Oceanarium’s structure directs visitors down one singular path, rather than the multiple trails offered in places like Rainforest Wild Asia. Although we assumed this meant the crowd would be concentrated, we were pleased to be proven wrong as visitors moved fluidly and at an unhurried pace.
The use of this structure has allowed the Oceanarium to construct a clear experience for visitors. Starting with the sea jellies (and other prehistoric creatures), the highlight for most who come to the Oceanarium, the exhibits then lead into 3 different animal-populated zones. “Sunlight”, featuring animals habituated in shallow waters; “Into the Deep”, exploring the ocean’s twilight zone and its mid-depth ecosystems, and finally, “The Abyss”, showcasing life in the deepest, most extreme parts of the ocean. Last and certainly not least was “A New Horizon”, a zone where the Oceanarium’s focus on conservation and its call to action comes to life.
Beyond its clear narrative structure, the Oceanarium proves its keen awareness of its diverse visitor demographics. Interactive sessions such as “Uncovering Singapore’s Coast” feature hands-on experiences tailored for younger children. Here, children dip their hands into shallow water where the striped red and orange cleaner shrimp reside, looking on in amazement as the gentle crustaceans begin to nibble dead skin off their fingertips. Presenting symbiotic relationships through a tactile, spa-like experience provides younger kids with the necessary engagement to keep them engaged, all the while ensuring a strong foundation for education. It was certainly heartening to hear giggles and delighted exclamations as the shrimp frolicked atop visitors’ hands!
Continuing our stroll along “Singapore’s Coast”, we observed small tanks modelled after different environments in our little red dot. From tide pools filled with kelp and seaweed, home to starfish, to silty habitats housing clownfish, these displays offered younger visitors a more intimate peek into the variety of underwater ecosystems. Furthermore, interactive technology and storytelling displays situated around this zone provided opportunities for children to test and reinforce their knowledge. Parents were seen engaging with their children, quizzing them on their newfound learning. Beyond serving as educational tools, these exhibits also fostered meaningful bonding moments between parent and child.
As we descended into deeper depths, entering “Into the Deep”, the lights gradually dimmed. Elderly visitors strolled alongside us at an unhurried pace, soaking in the atmospheric ambience, while the same kindergarten children we had seen earlier were being led by patient tour guides, pausing to observe smaller tanks filled with striking animals. All around us, there were sights and experiences catered to all groups of people, young and old, ardent and indifferent, experienced and novel. In this way, the oceanarium stood as a shared hub where people from all walks of life converged, creating a beautiful intersection between generations and backgrounds, united by a collective curiosity for marine ecosystems.
Our personal favourite exhibit was “Shark Seas.” The sharks gliding through the glass hallway were massive, with some swimming directly at eye level, creating a sublime experience that made us reflect on our own insignificance in relation to the vastness of the ocean and the creatures living in it. “A Home Reimagined”, similarly, prompted reflection as it hypothesised a seemingly dystopian—yet starkly realistic—future for humanity based on current predictions of global warming and rising sea levels.
While interviewing one of the guides at the Oceanarium, we found out that choosing the animals that coexist in habitats with each other is not an easy task. The animal care team decides specifically which species of animals can be housed in the exhibits, and special care is taken to ensure the welfare of the creatures.
For example, the majority of sharks we saw in “Shark Seas” were brought in from rescue missions, while other species of fish might be given to the Oceanarium in collaboration with other aquariums from around the world. Not only is the number/species in each habitat based on the welfare of the animals, but the Oceanarium also has to follow strict guidelines from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in order to retain WAZA certification.
From the wide-eyed wonder of kindergarteners to the quiet contemplation of elderly visitors, the Oceanarium succeeds in transforming passive observation into meaningful engagement. Through its carefully created narrative and infrastructure, it gently urges visitors to reflect on humanity’s relationship with the ocean, all the while catering to its diverse demographics of visitors.
The newly revamped Oceanarium inspires people from all walks of life to become stewards themselves, reminding all of us that lasting change disregards age and background. Instead, it begins with shared awareness and collective responsibility.
