Ever wondered how Singapore Oceanarium creates stunning, iconic displays of sea jellies? Step behind the scenes in the Animal Spotlight: Sea Jellies immersive programme.
Animal Spotlight immersive programmes at Singapore Oceanarium
Continuing its series spotlighting marine life, Singapore Oceanarium is offering another special programme in time for World Sea Jelly Day on 3 November. Running for three weeks from 1 to 23 November 2025, visitors at Singapore Oceanarium can rediscover the beauty of sea jellies that have endured since ancient times, and their ecological importance in the Earth’s oceans.
Read about the other Animal Spotlight: Manta Rays programme here.
How to get tickets to Animal Spotlight immersive programmes at Singapore Oceanarium
Animal Spotlight immersive programme tickets are available separately as Add-ons that can be purchased together online with your Singapore Oceanarium admission ticket. You can also buy them upon arrival at the Oceanarium, via the ticketing machines or at the guest services counter. As there are limited slots, you are recommended to buy them prior to arrival.
Animal Spotlight: Sea Jellies programme offers 3 English tour slots daily, with each tour accommodating up to 12 guests: 12PM, 1PM, 3PM. A Mandarin Tour is also offered at 3:30PM. Tour schedule subject to change and availability – check the booking websites for availability as you make your bookings to confirm your slots.
Guests will need to be 4 years old and above to attend this programme.
| Add-Ons | |
|---|---|
| Animal Spotlight: Sea Jellies Add-on experience (Klook) One Day Ticket to Singaporean Oceanarium is required and can be purchased together |
$28 Klook» |
| Animal Spotlight: Sea Jellies Add-on experience One Day Ticket to Singaporean Oceanarium is required and can be added to your cart |
$28 RWS» |
In addition, a promotional package that includes the Sea Jellies tour and Singapore Oceanarium is also available from the Singapore Oceanarium website, from $65 per adult and $58 per child/ senior.
For a complete tour of the Singapore Oceanarium, check out my review and photo/ video tour.
Animal Spotlight: Sea Jellies Photo Tour
After exploring the habitats, you’ll meet your marine educator near the Open Ocean Habitat to begin your behind-the-scenes tour. The journey takes you straight into the heart of the operation: the Aquarist Lab. Now you get to see the Lab from the other side of the glass!
Sea jellies are among the ocean’s most captivating and resilient animals, yet they are very delicate and serve vital ecological roles. To sustain its wide variety of species, Singapore Oceanarium takes pride in its ability to reproduce and care for a diverse range of sea jelly species in-house.
The Aquarist Lab is where all it happens, even down to the feed for these delicate creatures.
Within these green tanks, aquarists cultivate phytoplankton for the sea jellies. Larger residents like the manta rays enjoy a diet mainly of krill (tiny, shrimp-like zooplankton), which are also cultivated nearby.
The tour continued to the main highlight: the Sea Jelly Nursery, a space that showcases the oceanarium’s pride in its sea jelly husbandry efforts.
Here, you’re treated to a rare sight of smaller tanks containing thousands of baby sea jellies, drifting beautifully. It’s like a prized collection of miniaturised displays.
You’ll also get to see the aquarists feed the sea jellies via target feeding with a pipette, using the custom-made feed cultivated in the tanks shown earlier.
To maintain the Kreisel tanks and keep them safe and stable, aquarists need to manually clean after feeding. Their efforts keep the water flow gentle and stable, ensuring the health of these young sea jellies. This is why everything looks crystal clear!
During my tour, the aquarist also showed a sample of sea jelly cultivation – these polyps are growing on PVC plates, within a temperature-controlled environment.
The aquarist also demonstrated a crucial task of transferring baby sea jellies (at an early life stage, often called ephyra) from one environment to another. These tiny creatures are so fragile, they can only be moved using a specialized tool like a pipette.
Within the Aquarist Lab is a section known as the Aquatic Nursery. This specialized section functions as a vital incubator, providing a safe environment where newly hatched or young marine animals spend their early weeks. This is essentially a sneak peek into the future, as you’re getting first-dibs information on the oceanarium’s newest residents before anyone else sees them in the large, iconic displays!
While this Animal Spotlight tour focuses specifically on the Aquarist Lab, it is quite packed with valuable content and unique opportunities to see and understand the oceanarium’s marine animal husbandry efforts.
Though some visitors (like me) might wish for behind-the-scenes access at the new Ocean Wonders zone, the extended experience inside the Lab more than makes up for the tour happening only within a single location.
For sessions during the World Sea Jelly Day promotion period (1 to 23 Nov 2025), you will receive a Sea Jelly plush toy as a souvenir on top of the exclusive Animal Spotlight lanyard set for participating in this immersive programme!
Animal Spotlight: Sea Jellies
Limited spots available for this add-on programme. Find out more details and book your tickets early here.
World Sea Jelly Day Programmes at Singapore Oceanarium
Beyond the Animal Spotlight guided tour, Singapore Oceanarium is also offering a series of in-depth educational workshops and expert sharing sessions.
Sea Jellies and Hands-On Fun for the Family
For the younger crowd, the Children’s Workshop: Abyssal ArtVenture is hosted in two locations. Children will dive into the mesmerising depths of the ocean, discovering animals’ unique characteristics and features through guided drawing.
The first session on 1 November (11AM) is held at the National Library Building and walk-ins are accepted. Subsequent sessions on 8 and 15 November (2PM) are held at the Singapore Oceanarium’s Research and Learning Centre and require valid Singapore Oceanarium admission tickets for November 2025. You’ll need to register in advance via email (events@singaporeoceanarium.com) providing your full name and ticket details.
Be a Marine Scientist for a Day
For those interested in marine science, Singapore Oceanarium is hosting two sessions on 1 November 2025 at its Research and Learning Centre. The Exploring Sea Jelly Diversity: Hands-on Workshop in Plankton Sampling and Identification (2PM) offers participants a practical introduction to plankton research. Using local plankton samples, guests will learn how to sort the organisms, practice microscopic observation, and identify different sea jelly species.
This is followed by the expert sharing session, Collaborative Rearing Research on Sea Jellies and Deep-Sea Animals with Aquariums (4PM). Presented by Professor Hiroshi Miyake of Kitasato University, the session offers insights into the unique challenges of captive rearing and how observation-driven research leads to breakthroughs in understanding these organisms.
Registration is required for both sessions and you can do so via email (events@singaporeoceanarium.com).
Themed Treats You Can’t Miss: Sea Jelly Inspired F&B
Apart from these educational programme, you can also enjoy specials at the Singapore Oceanarium:
Sea Jelly-themed Gelato Special at Tide Deli: A rich bubblegum flavour with jelly beans and a Sea Jelly cookie.
Sea Jelly Mantou buns at Explorer’s Nook.
There is also a curated collection of Sea Jelly-themed souvenirs at the Singapore Oceanarium Store.
For more information about Singapore Oceanarium, check out my full photo tour and review.
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