The new Science Centre is coming to Jurong Lake in late 2027

The Science Centre turns 50 in 2027. Its present to itself is a new building with a roof you can climb.

For families in the west, this is one to pencil in with a long pencil. The new Science Centre is due around end-2027, as the institution turns 50, on a 7.4-hectare waterfront site beside Chinese Garden MRT with Jurong Lake Gardens on its doorstep; a trade report in August, citing JTC's project information, narrows that to the fourth quarter. Nobody has announced an opening day, ticket prices or what happens to the 1977 original a short walk away, which keeps running in the meantime. So the next action is the old one: there is still time for a last visit.

The building is by Zaha Hadid Architects, working with Singapore's Architects 61, which tells you it will not look like a school block. It is five interlocking rectangular volumes lifted above Jurong Lake Gardens, with gardens, courtyards and shaded public space underneath, and large glazed openings, which the designers call 'monocles', framing the lake. At about 55,000 sq m it will be roughly a quarter larger than the current centre.

The plans are where it earns the day out. Indoor galleries and discovery trails, rooftop gardens and a sensory trail that leads up on to the roof. An observatory, an eco-garden, a waterplay area and a science activity plaza. A KidsSTOP for younger children. And a Dome Theatre to carry on from the Omni-Theatre, so the tradition of nodding off under the stars on a school trip survives.

Outside, nature trails with science exhibits along them lead into the neighbouring secondary forest, with programmes co-developed with NParks, PUB and nature groups, and shows, labs and workshops on topics such as environmental science and food security.

It is designed for adults as much as school groups, and paired with Jurong Lake Gardens it has the makings of a full day out in the west, which is not something many people say about Jurong. Until it opens, the current centre and the Gardens next to it already make a decent first draft of that day.

Good to know Targeted to open around end-2027 (Q4 2027 per JTC project information) beside Chinese Garden MRT in Jurong Lake District. No opening date or prices yet; the current Science Centre stays open until then.

Want more of what’s new? Here’s everything else on the list.

Science Centre Singapore (new) | Jurong Lake Gardens, beside Chinese Garden MRT