See extinct sea creatures at new science centre exhibition

Livyatan Melvillei, named after American Novelist Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick. ST PHOTO: YEO KAI WEN
Pliosaurus, a massive marine reptile which existed during the late Jurassic period more than 145 million years ago. ST PHOTO: YEO KAI WEN

SINGAPORE - Extinct prehistoric marine creatures are roaring back to life at the Science Centre Singapore and visitors to an exhibition there will get the chance to see them from Friday.

The Monsters of the Sea exhibition will feature life-sized robotic marine creatures that have long gone extinct, such as the long-necked Elasmosaurus and the five-tonne Mosasaurus, which appeared in the blockbuster movie, Jurassic World.

In all, the exhibition will feature animatronic displays of 14 prehistoric marine creatures and two present-day dwellers of the sea - the great white shark and the whale shark.

Walking through the doors to the exhibition will give visitors the impression that they are explorers venturing into the ocean in a submarine.

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The first exhibit is decorated to look like a holding room, complete with a periscope that gives guests an overview of the exhibition.

There are strange creatures, such as an ammonite known as the Baculite, which means "staff of stone" for its nearly straight shell that begins with a tightly coiled portion .

There are also fearsome ones, such as the 15m-long shark, Megalodon, that had teeth as large as 18cm and the gentle whale shark.

The exhibition, the world's first animatronics display of robotic ancient sea creatures, is a collaboration between Science Centre Singapore, MediaCorp VizPro International, Dezign Format Singapore and Aurea Exhibitions.

It aims to get people thinking about the giants of the sea- how they used to live and how some of them have gone extinct. Science Centre Singapore chief executive Lim Tit Meng said the exhibition also hopes to cultivate in the public an interest in marine science, which is relevant for Singapore, especially since it is an island surrounded by the sea.

The exhibition runs from 10am to 6pm from Friday to Feb 28, 2016 at the Annexe Hall at the Science Centre Singapore in Jurong. The last admission is at 5.15pm.

Tickets for Singaporeans and permanent residents cost $20 per adult and $16 per child aged between three and 12. Other visitors pay $25 per adult and $20 per child.

audreyt@sph.com.sg

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