AVENGERS S.T.A.T.I.O.N Exhibition Singapore

The AVENGERS S.T.A.T.I.O.N Exhibition! One word: Awesome! 

The exhibition, which is now on till 5 March 2017 at the Science Centre Singapore is the first time it has been brought to the Southeast Asia region. It is also different from the same exhibition held elsewhere as it has been tweaked and updated to include characters up to Captain America: Civil War.

S.T.A.T.I.O.N stands for Scientific Training And Tactical Intelligence Operative Network. In the exhibition you take the role of a probationary agent where you'll learn about the featured Avengers and also the science behind some of their powers and abilities. You'll also get to view replicas, and in some cases the actual costumes and props used in the movies.

Before visiting the exhibition it is recommended that you download the Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N app on your smart device. Be sure to open the app after you installed it as there is some more data to download. The app will help you to navigate the exhibition and provide you with information on the character(s) whose zone you are in and send you alerts. At the end of each zone there's a short test for you to take. Clearing the test will grant you "higher security clearance" and enable you to move on to the next zone. You don't actually have to use the app but it gives you a more immersive and enhanced experience. And who doesn't want to hear Maria Hill giving you instructions. Lol! Oops... perhaps I said too much. It is also through the app that you can have an Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N ID card, your assessment certificate, a photo collage and photo against a green screen printed out. All of what I just stated comes at a cost though. More on that later.

Now if you do not have a smart device or have trouble downloading the app at the venue, there are devices available for rental for a small fee. You also do not have to worry about your data plan as free Wi-Fi is provided by the Science Centre which is great!

"Agents" enter the exhibition in batches which is good so as to allow for other agents ahead of you some time to clear the area. It really depends on the type of crowd you have on that day. If there are those like me who take some time to read and view, you can expect a bottleneck. 

After a briefing by Maria Hill, the first exhibit you'll see is of Captain America. I was very excited when I stepped through the doors. The information displays for Cap is stunning! With video clips playing and animated graphics, it felt something right out from the movies. There are also costumes and props to check out.

Boo to the "No sitting" sign.

I'm sure you're aware that Captain America has enhanced abilities. You can see how you compare with Cap in terms of Reflexes and Cognition, Grip Strength and Endurance.  

The Reflex and Cognitive test is kinda like a game when you pick out the "bad guys" as fast as you can. Kids will be able to try this out. Step stools may be found in the area if they need help to reach the panel. The Grip Strength test is self explanatory. The Endurance test requires you to use your hands and turn the hand pedals as fast as you can and maintain your speed as best as you can. 

Bruce Banner's lab is where we'll find information pertaining to the Hulk. What are gamma rays? How does it affect the Hulk's brain? These are some of the things which we can learn here. Check out the giant Hulk hands. I shudder to think how getting hit by the Hulk feels like. I might not even feel anything at all as I'll probably be dead in an instant. Hopefully... The main highlight will have to be the interactive Hulk display. Probe the Hulk via the control panel and see what he does. 

Hmmm... I wonder what's going on here.

Do you dare experiment with the power of the Infinity Stones?

It was great to see the costumes and weapons of Black Widow and Hawkeye. 

You would expect a certain standard of cleanliness at the Science Centre. Look at all the ants on the floor!

Lol! Those are actually just interactive images projected on the floor. Walk near it and the ants will scatter towards the display of Ant Man who makes his first appearance in the exhibition.

The villains are not forgotten. Do you know what the following are and to who they belong to?

One of the best exhibits I felt was Thor's. I love multi- screen display! You can read about the Nine Realms, the theory of the Einstein-Rosen Bridge (wormholes), what are some of the tools and missions ongoing to discover new planets. Stay awhile within the exhibit and you'll feel like you're being whisked away on the Bifrost. Really cool!

Are you worthy? I swear I managed to move Mjolnir a tiny bit. Lol!

A large portion of the exhibition is reserved for Iron Man and it is no wonder as we are informed that Tony Stark is paying for the facility. Don't touch or break anything now you hear. The main highlight would have to be the massive Hulkbuster statue and the Hall of Armour. 

What did I say about being up to date. There are statues of both Iron Man and War Machine based on their appearance in Captain America: Civil War! 

The Hulkbuster Experience can be found in this exhibit. That's wear you first "suit up" as Iron-Man and then take control of the Hulkbuster. You then use your repulsors and blast away the Ultron drones.

At the end of the exhibition you have to assist in defending the S.T.A.T.I.O.N from yet more Ultron drones. You have to use your smart device here and take the role of one of the six main Avengers. The attacks are different depending on the character you've been assigned. If you're Thor you'll be flicking Mjolnir at the screen. If you're the Hulk you'll be button smashing. And so on. You only have to concentrate on the screen in front of you. There may be times where you will be heading into the final battle with groups of people. Try to avoid it if possible as you'll find that a bunch of you may be assigned the same character and the fight won't feel as fun. You might not have a choice though as there may be a big crowd wanting to exit and it's really up to the staff. 

I mentioned the photo collage earlier which you can do in the app. Here's to show you an example of it. You can have this printed outside the exhibition.

If I recall correctly the charges for printing out the materials are as follows:

• ID Card - $12
• ID Card with lanyard - $18
• Photo Collage - $15
• Agent Certificate - $10
• Photo (against the green screen) - $15 (not sure about this one)
• Full Package consisting of all of the above and inclusive of a folder - $45

Decide in advance if you want the above. Once you exit the exhibition you may have to wait to go back in.

There's also a merchandise area outside where you can pick up various Avengers items such toys, stationery and apparel.  

I enjoyed the Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N Exhibition. Being an agent for a day was fun. I love the displays and set up. I did get a little bored at one point though. There's a lot of text to get through and if you've watched the movies you'll know a good portion of it. The other portions are related to science which is not all easy to digest. I can say I did learn a thing or two. If you do get bored you may want to catch a Marvel movie which screens daily at 11am and 3pm within the exhibition. The titles are different every month:

• November - Iron Man 3
• December - Captain America - The Winter Soldier 
• January - Ant-Man
• February / March - Avengers: Age of Ultron

For operating hours and admission details you can check out the Science Centre Singapore site.

I suggest going on a weekday and before the school holidays. I did just that and had a leisurely time.  

Thanks for viewing!