Exploria
Exploria
Some habitats on Earth are beyond human reach: whether extinct or simply invisible to the naked eye, they are impossible to recreate.
These hidden realms of the natural world are brought into clear view with Exploria, a spectacular educational and entertainment attraction that immerses visitors in five thematic worlds, inviting them on a fascinating journey to discover hundreds of wondrous, often surprising species.
©Mandai Wildlife GroupWhere science meets wonder
Located within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Singapore’s wildlife and nature destination, Exploria expands the destination’s offering with a permanent indoor experience. It reveals nature’s invisible side through immersive environments. Visitors journey from prehistoric eras and extreme habitats to microscopic ecosystems and the mysterious depths of the ocean.
©Mandai Wildlife GroupChanging how we see inaccessible nature
Developed by Mandai Wildlife Group, Exploria is one of Southeast Asia’s largest nature-themed multimedia attractions at 10,000 m2. Exploria features no living animals. Instead, it offers an immersive encounter with the natural world through digital visuals and storytelling. Focusing on ecosystems that are nearly impossible for humans to access, Exploria gives visitors the opportunity to discover species rarely featured in popular media. As they gain a better understanding of the fragile balance of Earth’s most remote environments, visitors learn of the importance of supporting conservation efforts, becoming agents of change for biodiversity.
Exploria was born out of Mandai Wildlife Group’s ambition to create a nature-themed attraction capable of both inspiring and educating audiences, while maintaining a balance between rigorous scientific content and the immersive power of themed entertainment. The storytelling approach we’ve developed is truly rooted in our time: engaging, inspiring, ethical and, at times, deeply moving.
©Mandai Wildlife GroupGSM partnered with Mandai Wildlife Group from the very beginning of the project. Our team developed the concept, led the design and worked closely with Mandai to manage and produce every component of the experience through to the final installation. Our role was to coordinate an international consortium of creative and technical specialists while overseeing architects, contractors and suppliers to deliver a fully integrated attraction.
At the centre of Exploria sits Our Interconnected World, a hub from which visitors can freely explore the attraction’s five worlds. At its heart, a monumental digital sphere comes to life through Our Planet Awakens, a multimedia show symbolizing the interconnectedness of all life on Earth.
Instead of a realistic recreation, each world has been designed as a living archetypal environment — dynamic, imaginative and deliberately interpretive. This creative approach allowed GSM Studios to develop surprising, awe-inspiring environments that promote discovery while remaining grounded in science.
Realm of the Giants: A monumental sculptural environment restores the true scale of Earth’s extinct giants, from dinosaurs to other remarkable creatures of the Mesozoic Era. Augmented reality installations place visitors face to face with these long-lost species, while a 360-degree multisensory show traces the evolution of life on Earth over hundreds of millions of years while raising awareness about mass extinction phenomena.
©Mandai Wildlife GroupMicro Worlds: The infinitely small is revealed through a galaxy of illuminated spheres showcasing plankton, insect colonies, fungi and bacteria. Interactive exhibits and physical models allow visitors to explore life at scales beyond human perception.
©Mandai Wildlife GroupInfinite Wonderland: From tropical rainforests to coral reefs, the planet’s most biodiverse ecosystems are celebrated through a kaleidoscopic journey that moves from the sky down through forest canopies and into the depths of the ocean.
©Mandai Wildlife GroupWorld of Darkness: Visitors descend into deep oceans and subterranean caves, discovering species that have adjusted to environments where light never reaches. A labyrinthine layout challenges visitors’ perception and encourages them to explore the extraordinary sensory adaptations of life in darkness.
Technology at the service of science
Technology at the service of science
Mandai Wildlife Group’s mission is to inspire curiosity about the natural world, thus rallying audiences around biodiversity conservation. To spark that curiosity and encourage visitors to discover all 250 species featured, Exploria uses a centralized gamification ecosystem powered by RFID technology that serves as the backbone of the experience’s interactive storytelling. By activating a personalized Explorer profile through a digital avatar, visitors can unlock quests, collect badges for species discovered, complete challenges and track their progress across Exploria’s five immersive worlds.
A digital ecosystem
Building on the original concept developed by GSM Studios and Mandai Wildlife Group, Montreal-based interactive studio Dpt. was tasked with designing and producing Exploria’s 87 interactive installations with Singapore partner Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd. By integrating hours of hyper-realistic wildlife media and developing interactive missions and gameplay systems, Dpt. brought these environments to life in every layer of the visitor journey, transforming scientific discovery into an engaging and participatory experience.
- 10,000
square meters of immersive exploration
- 250
species to discover
- 87
interactive experiences
©Mandai Wildlife GroupBitdeer AI Extreme Frontiers: A series of conceptual immersive installations challenges visitors to experience hostile environments including deserts, polar regions, high-altitude ecosystems and urban habitats. Mixed-media simulators combine temperature and wind effects (infinity rooms) to create highly sensory encounters.
With Exploria, GSM Studios’ ambition is to inspire a deeper passion for the living world. Technology serves knowledge and emotion, supporting a visitor experience that is playful, entertaining and participatory. By revealing species in a context that is neither a zoo nor a screen, Exploria introduces a completely new experience format — one we hope will inspire future attractions all around the world.
