Singapore's Minister for Education opens QUANTUM: The Exhibition

Quantum physics began with the end of classical physics in the early 1900s. This is where visitors begin their journey in the exhibition towards the quantum technologies of today. Pictured from left is the director of the Centre for Quantum Technologies, Artur Ekert, leading Minister for Education, Mr Ong Ye Kung, and guests on a tour of QUANTUM: The Exhibition.

QUANTUM: The Exhibition is now open at Science Centre Singapore. Singapore's Minister for Education, Mr Ong Ye Kung, graced the official launch on Monday 19 August. The exhibition will run until January 2020.

The world’s first travelling exhibition focussing on quantum science and technology, QUANTUM: The Exhibition was developed by the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo in Canada. The installation in Singapore includes brand-new exhibits on local research designed to complement the original exhibition.

CQT is proud to be one of the sponsors of the exhibition and a contributor to the new exhibits. The other organisations sponsoring the Singapore exhibition are the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Nanyang Technological University, National Research Foundation Singapore, and National Supercomputing Centre Singapore.

Exhibits contributed by CQT include a source of entangled photon pairs that visitors can operate, a satellite that survived a rocket explosion (generously loaned by GomSpace) carrying a CQT-built quantum light source, and an animation about atomic clocks that introduces both the work of the National Metrology Centre and CQT's research on next-generation clocks. In the exhibition, visitors also get to meet six inspiring young quantum scientists in Singapore, profiled in video interviews. They include CQT Fellows Charles Lim and Ng Hui Khoon and CQT Principal Investigator Manas Mukherjee. Over 30 local experts contributed to the development of the new displays.

CQT initiated the exhibition project, building on its past collaborations with IQC. “We are proud to present QUANTUM: The Exhibition alongside our co-sponsors and research collaborators. We hope that Singapore’s young people will visit, be excited and be thoughtful about how they will experience quantum technologies in their lifetime. Scientists of my generation are providing the tools to build quantum technologies. It is up to the next generation to discover everything that we can do with them,” says Artur.

QUANTUM: The Exhibition pairs content from a travelling exhibition from Canada with brand-new materials on local research and development.

Altogether, the interactive exhibition occupies around 4,000 square feet across five different zones. It brings scientific concepts to life through a mix of creative story-telling and gamified experiences. A visitor begins with quantum concepts, dips into the history of computing, and then dives deep into the potential of quantum technologies.

“Quantum physics is arguably the greatest intellectual triumph in the history of human civilisation, but its reputation is often one that is mysterious and difficult. With QUANTUM: The Exhibition, we hope to make this discipline of science less remote and more relevant, for people of all ages and backgrounds to discover. It has always been our goal to create opportunities for our guests to be inspired by the marvels of science and ultimately push the frontiers of possibilities,” said Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive of Science Centre Singapore.

Entry to the exhibition is included in Science Centre's general admission ticket.

Visitors to QUANTUM: The exhibition can explore quantum technologies through interactive exhibits such as this laser maze.