Mars: The Red Mirror exhibition at ArtScience Museum
For all the hopeful astronomers and outer space dreamers, a mind-bending journey through the cosmos is waiting for you at ArtScience Museum.
Running from now till 7th April 2024, Mars: The Red Mirror lets you take a peek into the history of Mars through arts and artefacts, as well as stories and sculptures. Plus, there are interactive quests for children to complete as they explore another dimension.
Walk through 12,000 years of Mars’ history
At Mars: The Red Mirror, you can enter what feels like an entirely different universe without putting down millions of dollars to travel to space. There are 3 sections, hundreds of surreal installations, and 12,000 years of history of planet Mars for you to traverse through.
As soon as you set foot inside the exhibition, you’ll be met with an actual fragment of a Martian meteorite and an hourglass containing Martian dust. If you manage to peel yourself away from these otherworldly objects, head inside to unearth the past, present, and future of the Red Planet.
The first section explores the famous Copernicus’ theory of the universe which shows how planets orbit around the Sun and not the other way around.
While Section 1 showcases different interpretations of Mars among a variety of ancient cultures in Europe and Asia from over 13 billion years ago, Section 2 paints a picture of Mars in a more modern time.
Witness a rare collection of over 60 Indonesian comic books about Mars.
During the period between the 19th and 20th centuries, Mars was the muse for plenty of science fiction books, films, music, comics, and radio shows.
As an added bonus, some of said movies will be available to you at the Mars Cinema inside the exhibition. Sit back on the antique cinema chairs to go through precious footage of hits about Mars which dominated the movies in the 80s, as well as popular TV series about the search for Martian life like Cosmos.
You’ll also get to see the research material from various famous engineers, inventors, and astronomers such as Galileo as well as lesser-known Asian astronomers.
The projections are real NASA satellite images mapped onto the inflatable sculpture.
In the final section of the exhibition, the artworks by contemporary artists are dedicated to exploring human’s present and future relationship with Mars. Here, you’ll find a 4m-tall Mars inflatable, images of SpaceX’s newest spaceport that’s said to be used for early manned missions to Mars, and experiments proving there may be life beyond Earth.
Marsonauts by Swiss artist Nero Cosmos.
Right at the end, you’ll come across a series of images of astronauts that have been made using AI to recreate what it may look like the day a human sets foot on the Red Planet. New images will be generated every day until the first astronaut lands on Mars.
Embark on an interactive mission to Mars
Among the many highlights of the exhibit, there’s also an interactive quest for mini astronauts to explore Mars.
To embark on the mission, simply scan a QR code at the start of the exhibition. You’ll get to play games and solve puzzles while learning fun facts about Mars and the sculptures and paintings on display.
Here’s one fun fact to get your inquisitive side jogging: the reason why Mars looks red is because of the iron content in its soil which rusts, making the surface look reddish.
See whether you can make spiritual contact with Martians.
Every weekday from now till February 2024, wannabe astronauts can also DIY their own Martian animation. Taking place at B2, Exhibition Galleries, you can create a flipbook that details your imaginary journey to Mars and what life is like in zero gravity.
Go on an adventure on Mars at ArtScience Museum
If you want to be an astronaut or have kids who are obsessed with the galaxy, a trip to Mars: The Red Mirror is a must.
Tickets to the exhibition start from $16/person and can be purchased online. If you’re keen to hear from specialists, you can also join a public guided tour for $5/pax.
But hurry, the exhibition wraps up on 7th April 2024. If you want to enjoy the Red Planet, now’s a good time to go.
Get tickets to Mars: The Red Mirror exhibition
Address: 6 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018974
Opening hours: 10am-7pm, Daily
Contact: ArtScience Museum website
This post was brought to you by ArtScience Museum.
Photography by Huiwen Chan.