Always wanted to experience how it is like to step through the looking glass into a curious world of whimsical adventures? You can now do it at ArtScience Museum’s latest exhibition, Wonderland which was just opened on 13 April 2019! ArtScience Museum Wonderland is a playful and interactive exhibition for all ages based on Lewis Carroll’s timeless stories of Alice and her adventures through Wonderland. Developed by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), this groundbreaking exhibition makes the first stop of its global tour at ArtScience Museum.
ArtScience Museum Wonderland – An Immersive, Enchanted World
Wonderland is a one-of-a-kind exhibition which follows Alice’s journey through popular culture. It invites you to take a trip through the looking glass into an immersive, enchanted world. Using theatrical sets, bold, interactive environments, eye-catching props and amazing audiovisual artworks, Wonderland spectacularly conjures up the surprising and magical world of Alice and her adventures.
The exhibition reveals how artists and filmmakers have portrayed Alice and her story for over a century. Since her first appearance on the page in 1865, Alice has delighted audiences in more than 40 films and over 30 television programmes and has become a subcultural icon through her presence in music videos, video games, high fashion, advertising and more.
ArtScience Museum Wonderland – The Inspiration
Wonderland takes its inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s stories, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There. These stories have been adapted dozens of times for the screen over a century, which makes the history of Alice in Wonderland on screen, a way of being able to trace the history of moving image. The exhibition charts the cultural, technological and social shifts that have compelled filmmakers to create their own visual interpretation of Alice and her adventures.
From the first screen adaptation by Cecil M Hepworth in 1903 to the contemporary blockbusters of the 2000s, Wonderland also showcases the developments in special effects from pre-cinematic entertainment to silent film, animation to puppetry, live-action cinema, CGI, 3D and beyond. Films such as Lou Bunin’s Alice Au Pays des Merveilles (1949), Jan Svankmajer’s acclaimed Alice (1988), the Quay Brothers’ experimental Alice in Not So Wonderland (2007), and television versions by broadcasters BBC and NBC will be featured in the exhibition.
Drawing together a remarkable selection of original behind-the-scenes material, the exhibition includes over 300 artefacts and objects, including first edition books, drawings, original costumes, films, magic lantern projectors, animation, puppetry, and original work by theatrical designer Anna Tregloan, and digital creative studios, Sandpit, Grumpy Sailor and Mosster Studio.
“Wonderland is an exhibition that has to be experienced to be believed. It is every bit as fantastical as the original texts by Lewis Carroll, which have enthralled and inspired generations of readers since they first published over 150 years ago. Visitors will truly step into Alice’s imaginary landscape, meeting the fantastical talking creatures made famous in the much-loved stories, and exploring her world in creative and immersive rooms, that reward curiosity. There are secret doorways to find, mysterious drawers to rummage through, winding corridors to navigate, unusual props to climb inside, and incredible digital experiences which allow visitors to see the story of Alice come to life. In Wonderland, the reality is suspended. The more curious you are, the more you’ll discover,” said Honor Harger, Executive Director of ArtScience Museum.
“This ACMI-created exhibition showcases the moving image adaptations of Carroll’s seminal works celebrating the evolution of filmmaking, from the earliest optical toys through to new technologies. With Wonderland, ACMI’s interactive exhibition enables audiences to explore the magic of film craft and its power to embed stories in our imaginations for generations. We are so thrilled to see the exhibition brought to life at ArtScience Museum,” said ACMI CEO and Director, Katrina Sedgwick.
ArtScience Museum Wonderland – The Magical Experience
The exhibition starts out in Lewis Carroll’s drawing room, where you will be handed their own Lost Map of Wonderland. The map serves as a physical interactive tool which allows you to explore the exhibition in unique and surprising ways. The exhibition continues through the Hallway of Doors, followed by the contemplative surrounds of the Pool of Tears, the quirky Looking Glass House before you are invited to get hands-on in the Queen’s Croquet Ground.
A highlight of the exhibition is an immersive centrepiece where you are invited to join in the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Seated around a table set with empty plates and teacups, you will participate in an audiovisual feast as the room transforms in real time with captivating digital projections.
Wonderland will run from 13 April to 22 September 2019. The exhibition, through its playful environments and a range of bespoke digital interactive activities, will draw you into an enchanted world where expectations are upended and curiosity is rewarded. 
Tickets are available for purchase from 1 April at all Marina Bay Sands box offices and website. Terms and Conditions apply. Ticket prices as follows:
For more information, please visit https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum/wonderland.html.
