There aren’t many school going children in Singapore who haven’t gone to the Singapore Science Center at least once, and most likely twice during their primary and junior years of education.
Two such science museums in San Francisco are the Exploratorium, and the California Academy of Sciences. Both also are major attractions in the city and were included in the City Pass card we bought.
The Exploratorium was our first stop of the day on Tuesday 24 March, and is located at the Presidio, a beautifully landscaped and wooded area in the Northwestern corner of the city. The Golden Gate Bridge Freeway runs through the Presidio too, so I could see the famous bridge after a short 100m walk from the Exploratorium.
The Exploratorium was established in 1969, and comprises hundreds of exhibits divided into broad thematic areas, for example sight, motion, electricity and magnetism, life sciences and so on. Many of the exhibits are interactive and demonstrate laws of chemistry and physics. I can imagine Ling going absolutely nuts over some of these exhibits, so took several HD video of the exhibits for her to look at when I’m home.
I haven’t visited the Singapore Science Museum for the last 4 years now, but I don’t think it can match the variety, range or pure ingenuity of the Exploratorium exhibits. The museum even has its own workshop – whose area was viewable to the public – where designers and creators cook up new exhibits for the public to learn and try.
But the real attraction for me wasn’t the Exploratorium, as interesting an experience as it was. I was absolutely floored by the Palace of Fine Arts which sits beside the Exploratorium. The Palace showcases some of the most stunning architecture I’ve seen. It was originally conceived as a Roman ruin with intricately detailed Corinthian columns and the neo-classical dome. The Rotunda was closed for renovation, but I could walk the grounds and took pictures.
More pictures here, and continued in the next post.
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