We’re no strangers to Gardens by the Bay (GBTB) and its many whimsical exhibits. Throw a coin into the crowd and it’ll probably land on someone who has visited the recent Hello Kitty exhibit, or annual IG-famous Christmas Wonderland. This year, GBTB brings yet another eye-catching exhibition to our island: the Dale Chihuly: Glass In Bloom Exhibit, running till 1st August 2021.
Not your usual floral affair, this one’s best experienced after the sun sets. Check out 10M-tall glowing glass sculptures suspended in the air among other otherworldly sculptures. Tickets start from $12/adult, but there are free exhibits around the garden that you can visit as well!
Emulating the tropical highlands, the Cloud Forest is where you can find cooling A/C temperatures of 23-25°C. You’ll want to bring along a jacket to explore the majestic dome’s four new mystical additions.
The artworks are scattered around, and the first one you’ll spot is the 10M-tall Cloud Forest Persians. You can’t miss the surreal sight of it dangling up in the air, hanging parallel to the 35M waterfall.
Dare yourself to walk under the giant Persian-blue blooms or the seemingly withering Ruby Red Chandelier that lies further down.
Ruby Red Chandelier
No worries – they’re all fastened securely to the ceilings so standing right under it is perfectly safe. In fact, it’s best if you do as it’ll provide a different angle to enjoy the artwork or shoot photos from.
What visitors might accidentally miss in their hurry to check out everything is the glistening Fiori Verde – or what looks like glowing aloe vera plants. Take the elevator up to Level 7 of the Cloud Forest to visit this artwork. From the elevated vantage point, you’ll also catch a panoramic bird’s eye view of the rest of the dome.
Electric Yellow & Deep Coral Tower
Suspended chandelier-themed artworks were sculptor Chihuly’s “thing” for a while. But as he moved on to work on exhibition spaces without ceilings – or without ceilings strong enough to support the art – he started to create the Towers series, which is what you’ll find at the Flower Dome.
White Tower surrounded by other glass sculptures
Both the fiery Electric Yellow & Deep Coral Tower and White Tower stand tall here, looking like dreamy blooms from another dimension. They’re best experienced in the evenings, with the rays from the setting sun shining through the sculptures. We reached a little late and experienced it after dusk instead – it felt like a glowing world out of Alice in Wonderland, nonetheless.
Prices:
Cloud Forest: $12/adult, $8/child or senior citizen
Floral Dome: $12/adult, $8/child or senior citizen
Cloud Forest & Floral Dome: $20/adult, $12/child, $15/senior citizen
Prices listed in this article are for Singapore Residents only – view the standard rates for non-residents.
Not many of us are familiar with Gardens by the Bay’s Outdoor Garden – if that includes you, now’s a good time to get acquainted. The area is now brought to life with a myriad of Chihuly’s artworks, with Setting Sun as the star of the show.
Setting Sun and Moon
While the other pieces have travelled around the world before making their way here, this glowing orb was designed to debut in Singapore. Perhaps you might see it as a reflection of our lovely, never-ending tropical heat. From certain angles at night, it also looks like a snapshot of our solar system, with the Moon in the background
Of course, one cannot leave an IG-worthy attraction without getting some shots for the ‘gram. Whip out those cameras here as this is a great place to experiment with some creative shots:
Cue an angry Wanda from Wandavision episode 3
*Inserts deep poetic quote*
Social media flex, check. But you may be over the moon to realise there’s more to explore, from an unreal scene of blooming white Persian “flowers” to hellish spikes inspired by red reeds.
More floral towers and glassworks inspired by nature can be found here too. Take your time to wander through the garden to take in the sights of them all.
Prices:
Outdoor Gardens & Gallery: $16/adult & $12/child or senior citizen for weekdays | $20/adult & $16/child or senior citizen for weekends
Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Outdoor Gardens & Gallery: $27/adult, $18/child & $20/senior citizen for weekdays | $30/adult, $21/child & $23/senior citizen for weekends
For those who can’t decide whether or not to purchase an entry ticket, enjoy a free preview of the exhibition with the handful of surrounding artworks in the area. You won’t want to miss the whimsical wooden boat filled with glassy orbs floating along the Dragonfly Lake, with the Supertrees in the background.
Next to it is also a colourful Persian chandelier hanging from the gardens’ iconic lattice ceiling. And yes, the exterior of the Porsche that’s on display was designed to match the hanging flowers.
It’s not easy to find unique floral blooms in Singapore, and that’s perhaps what makes many of us go gaga over floral exhibits – be it one at the Tropical Montane Orchidetum or Gardens by the Bay. Visit Glass In Bloom Exhibit to experience Dale Chihuly’s works for the first time in Singapore, and don’t forget to bring a camera along to capture some great shots while you’re there!
As a cherry on top, tickets are also SingapoRediscovers Vouchers (SRV) claimable if you purchase them from Gardens by The Bay’s website. Tickets can only be purchased up to 10 days in advance.
Dale Chihuly: Glass In Bloom Exhibit
Date: Until 1st August 2021
Time: 9AM-9PM, Daily (until 10PM for outdoor exhibits on weekends)
Venue: Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Telephone: 6420 6848
Glass In Bloom Exhibit website
For more things to do, also read:
Photography by Clement Sim.
Cover image adapted from TheSmartLocal.
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