Traveling to Singapore with kids (1): Science Center Observatory
Verdict: Worth going, especially if you have children interested in space things.
We arrived Singapore on a Friday afternoon and since we only have three days here, we can't afford to waste an evening. Finding what to do with kids in Hong Kong at night may be a challenge but apparently, not in Singapore! There are, for example, the Night Safari, the Science Center Observatory, Garden by the Bay Light Show, just to name a few. In the end, we decided to go to the Science Center Observatory for star-gazing. Our four-year-old loves learning about space, and of course, rockets (or as he would say in German, rackete).
The weather this weekend was not great in Singapore. It rained that afternoon but luckily not any longer by evening. It was cloudy though and we were a bit worried if we could see any stars. We did. The Observatory, which is only opened on Friday night, is inside the Science Center. After passing the long, empty halls of the Science Center, we reached the Observatory area. Basically it was a large open outdoor grass area with a number of telescopes. The friendly staff there got us what they called "Q-cards" so we can look through the sky with the main telescope. They gave out Q-cards starting 7:30 pm until they last but we did not have trouble getting them even though we only got there at 8:45 pm.
There were guys standing next to the telescopes to guide you on what you're looking and operating the machine for you. From the telescope, I was able to see several stars with nebula surrounding them but unfortunately we weren't able to see any stars from the Solar system. Our 4-year-old tried to look into it too but I didn't think he got the hang of it LOL. Next, we went to another telescope and this was my favorite as we got to see the moon in BIG size. It was really clear and we could see the structures and uneven surface very clearly. This one was so easy that even Benji can handle it and he was excited to see the moon!
After seeing the moon and stars, we went back into the indoor area where the children can do some coloring pages and little art projects.
End note:
- Please note the observatory for star-gazing is only opened on FRIDAY evenings. It is strongly advised that you check their website to make sure there is no private event/ closure.
- It is so great that this activity is FREE and there is ample of space to enjoy everything. Can we imagine anything free and cool in Hong Kong (other than the peak)? Not really.
- it might be a good idea to bundle the Science Center visit with the observatory if time allows it. The Science Center was action-packed with science related activities and a huge play area outside.
- I was really impressed with how good the pest control in Singapore is. We came out without any mosquito bites (remember it was a lawn and after rain) and despite very loved by mosquitoes usually, Benji was okay! Again, never in Hong Kong.
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