If you thought observation wheels were all about the view, Singapore’s answer to the London Eye just raised the bar.
Marking the city-state’s 60th year of independence, the Singapore Flyer has unveiled a reimagined experience that weaves history, culture, and cinematic technology into a compelling 75-minute journey – both on the ground and 165 metres in the air.
Gone is the simple spin in the sky. In its place is a cleverly designed prelude: Time Capsule, a two-level indoor attraction transformed into a multi-sensory time machine. This once-standard pre-ride exhibit now serves as a richly interactive walk-through of Singapore’s rise – from ancient fishing village to futuristic cityscape.
The story unfolds with the help of an animated guide: R65, a time-travelling robot created in collaboration with creative studio Untitled Project. Guests are whisked back to Singapore’s earliest days in the 13th century, meeting mythical legends and seafaring traders through dramatic floor-to-ceiling visuals, immersive soundscapes, and projection-mapped environments.
Step into a reimagined Singapore River, touch-sensitive and glowing with history. Take a seat at a nostalgic concrete chess table, surrounded by a 300-degree video panorama archiving the nation’s rapid transformation from kampong to cosmopolitan.
Upstairs, the mood lightens with a Peranakan hue – think colourful tiles, LiDAR sensors, and vibrant neighbourhood games. Interactive exhibits – including lifelike holograms of traders, early settlers and the indigenous Orang Laut – allow visitors to scan QR codes via the Time Capsule web app to unlock stories behind the faces that shaped Singapore’s cultural identity.
The immersive narrative doesn’t end at the exit. It continues into the sky.
Boarding the Flyer, guests embark on a 30-minute rotation above Marina Bay, but with added depth. Using the FLYER360 mobile app, powered by augmented reality, visitors get live overlays and historical context on landmarks below – from the colonial nostalgia of Raffles Hotel to the futuristic curves of Marina Bay Sands.
And, in a fitting reflection of Singapore itself, tech meets tradition. Every ticket to the Singapore Flyer now includes access to the Time Capsule, transforming what was once a purely visual attraction into something much more profound: a dynamic hour-plus journey that bridges past, present and future.
“The reimagined Singapore Flyer journey invites everyone to experience the Singapore story in an entirely fresh and entertaining way,” says Ringo Leung, General Manager of Singapore Flyer. “By integrating immersive on-ground adventures with interactive in-capsule experiences, we aim to present a fun, multifaceted perspective of Singapore that goes beyond the traditional observation wheel.”
Reflective, sensory, and ultimately exhilarating, this is more than just a spin through the air—it’s a guided flight through a nation’s soul.
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The Singapore Flyer may have always offered a scenic view – but now, it offers vision.
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