Marina Barrage

A red line train from Dhoby Gaut MRT station southbound to Marina Bay MRT station (SGD1.80, inclusive of refundable SGD1 when you return the ticket) brought us nearer to our next hop - Marina Barrage, a recommendation to me by a fellow blogger Eunice. After getting off the train we followed the signs leading to a bus platform where will be riding the shuttle that will take us to our destination. We noticed that sky is getting darker and we fear that it will rain soon.


Free shuttle bus runs every 10, 15 or 30-minute intervals depending on the time and day from the MRT station to the barrage. We took this shuttle, a mere 7-minutes ride passing through a lot of construction areas like the Marina Bay Sands, a luxurious resort and hotel slated to open later this year.


Marina Barrage is a reservoir dam built in Marina Channel and is Singapore's first that is built in the heart of the city.


fountain outside


fountain in the heart of the barrage


me


bridge


A few minutes later, it started to rain. We were caught in the middle and we had to ran for cover!


Because of the rain, we were forced to view the Sustainable Singapore Gallery, and I'm sure glad that we did! It was a museum showcase of Singapore's efforts in being green and evironment-friendly. The twist however is that it's not your regular boring displays. Sights and sounds, as well as interaction is a must!


The place is divided into 6 galleries, phasing different projects and timelines of the country's endeavour in sustainability.


In the center of Gallery 1 is the "organic tree" that changes colors at an interval.


a wall in Gallery 1


timeline


On the right is a wall made of NEWater bottles.


Gallery 2 brings back visitors to 1970s, a decade when a clean-up project for Singapore rivers were at high.


Sustainable Singapore


Gallery 3 is about Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters program.


In here is an interactive video showing visitors how beautiful a place can be when we protect the environment.


Gallery 4 demonstrates how the whole reservoir dam works by simulating rains and how the pump works.


Gallery 5 shows how everything was planned and executed carefully. Sustainability for a country as small as Singapore can be challenging at first but determination proved this can be done.


The final gallery (Gallery 6) displays the effort and commitment of People, Private and Public sectors in keeping the country sustainable and the environment safe.


It was still raining after our visit to the galleries so we braved the rain and raced through the bus stop to board a shuttle that took us back to Marina Bay MRT station.