In case you missed it, there’s an exhibit in Singapore where you can relive your fondest childhood memories!
Running until Jan. 5, 2025, at the National Museum of Singapore, the toy-themed experiential pop-up “Play:Date - Unlocking Cabinets of Play” brings your favorite toys, from dolls and mini-cars to gaming consoles, to life with an immersive exhibit for kids and kids-at-heart.
The pop-up opens with the museum’s exterior, decorated with five large-scale commissioned artworks made by five local artists, which showcase the journey of collecting and the joy of playing with toys.
Inside, visitors will be greeted by a tunnel that displays a digital parade of toy figurines made by local artist Lioncolony, which are inspired by a selection of toys from the 1950s to the 2000s.
The exhibit also features a collection of over 250 locally and globally recognizable toys from the 1980s to today, which are divided into three sections: “It’s a Small World,” which features miniature character figurines from brands like Disney, Barbie, McDonald's, and more; “Drive Through Time,” with mini-cars and toys from familiar brands like Hot Wheels, Tamiya, and Matchbox; and “Batteries Included,” which displays iconic digital games such as Tamagotchi, special handheld consoles by Nintendo and Casio, and more.
For a more exciting experience, “Play:Date” also has several interactive experiences for its visitors, inspired by old-school gaming arcades. Here, visitors can purchase tokens and play arcade games such as Memory Match, Roadblock Highway, and more. Visitors can also view an 8-bit image of themselves via the “8bitfy Screen,” featuring a retro 8-bit filter layered over the screen.
Guests can also create their own personalized avatar at the “Discover Your Play-sonality" section, where they can pick from four digital toy avatars with different personality types and physical appearances to create their very own “Play:Mate.” This is accompanied by a photo booth, where they can take snaps with their “Play:Mate” and get physical photo printouts.
Entrance to the pop-up is free. However, fees apply for the digital gamified experiences within the exhibit.
All of these and more await at the “Play:Date” pop-up in Singapore! For more information, you can visit the National Museum of Singapore’s website.
