Take a Trip Down Memory Lane at the 'Play:Date' Pop-Up in Singapore

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.
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