Wetlands by the Bay - New at Gardens by the Bay

The expansion of the Kingfisher Wetlands precinct will triple the mangrove and coastal plant collection and unveil the first-ever multi-sensory indoor and outdoor voyage experience by art collective teamLab, bringing visitors closer than ever to freshwater wetland habitats

teamLab Museum Wetlands by the Bay Image credit: Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay will embark on its next phase of development with a major new space known as Wetlands by the Bay. Spanning about 5 hectares, the new space will expand the existing Kingfisher Wetlands precinct along the waterfront promenade near Gardens by the Bay MRT station. The development will include teamLab’s flagship museum featuring the first-ever multi-sensory voyage that seamlessly moves between indoor galleries and the open landscape, bringing visitors up close to freshwater wetlands habitats.

Enhancing the wetlands experience, a newly designed cantilevered canopy boardwalk will extend over Kingfisher Wetlands, providing an elevated pathway that strengthens connectivity from Gardens by the Bay MRT station to Bay South Garden’s key attractions, while offering visitors a stunning over-water encounter with nature. A new community space, Glade Lawn will host a variety of community activities. Construction of Wetlands by the Bay is slated to commence in the first quarter of 2027, with progressive opening targeted by end 2028.

Wetlands by the Bay will complement the development of Bay East Garden, which will open in 2027, with Founders’ Memorial within to open in 2028. A new bridge linking Bay South Garden and Bay East Garden will improve accessibility between the two gardens while offering visitors panoramic waterfront views and a continuous, uninterrupted journey through the different garden spaces. Construction of the bridge will begin in the second quarter of 2026 and is slated for completion in 2028.

Gardens by the Bay CEO Mr Felix Loh said, “Gardens by the Bay is ever evolving to continuously provide fresh experiences for both Singaporeans and visitors from all over the world, and Wetlands by the Bay is our latest transformation. Last year, more than 16 million people visited Gardens by the Bay to experience our offerings – our highest visitorship to date – and it is timely to look at expanding our range of attractions. Wetlands by the Bay will strengthen Gardens by the Bay’s reputation as a must-visit destination in Singapore where people can enjoy one-of-a-kind nature-based experiences. Together with the upcoming Bay South-Bay East bridge, these new additions to the Marina Bay area contribute to a prime waterfront experience and are another step forward in Singapore’s City in Nature vision.”

An expanded urban wetland with public spaces and teamLab flagship museum

The key highlights of Wetlands by the Bay are:

An expanded urban wetland with more than 600 mangroves and coastal plants
Additional community green spaces for the public
Refreshed waterfront dining with indoor and outdoor spaces
A new teamLab flagship museum

An expanded urban wetland with more than 600 mangroves and coastal plants

When the 15,000 sqm Kingfisher Wetlands opened in 2021, it was the rare urban wetlands located in Singapore’s city centre and a place for biodiversity to flourish even on reclaimed land. The results of an ecological study on Kingfisher Wetlands that was released in 2023 showed that several mangrove species that otherwise thrive in coastal saline or brackish water can also do well in freshwater conditions, and carbon sequestration had also increased as these mangroves grew.

The new Wetlands by the Bay will expand on this success, with more than 600 mangroves and coastal plants in the area. This is three times the number of mangroves now at the Kingfisher Wetlands precinct. Collected from around the world, the mangroves and coastal plants at Wetlands by the Bay originate from other equatorial countries such as Ecuador, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste, and includes critically endangered species. In total, there will be more than 50,000 plants at Wetlands by the Bay.

A larger and lusher green space will attract biodiversity, providing new habitats at Gardens by the Bay for fauna such as birds, of which locally endangered and vulnerable species have been spotted in the area. It will also serve as an example of a potential natured-based climate solution for densely urban cities.

Additional community green spaces for the public

A canopy boardwalk (pictured) that is cantilevered above the wetlands will not only offer panoramic views of the surrounding greenery but also serve as an elevated linkway between Gardens by the Bay MRT station and the Main Entrance of Gardens by the Bay.

The additional community green spaces also include the 3,500 sqm Glade Lawn (pictured) where events can be held. This is in line with Gardens by the Bay’s role as a national garden with a year-round calendar of community events and activities.

There will also be a more than 8,000 sqm open garden that creates continuous corridors for a pollinator network.

Refreshed waterfront dining with indoor and outdoor spaces

A refreshed, contemporary food court concept on the ground level will be complemented by a mix of waterfront casual-dining restaurants on the upper deck. Featuring both indoor and alfresco spaces, the reimagined space will offer diners sweeping views of the surrounding wetland landscape, while an upper-level viewing gallery will provide a striking vantage point overlooking the Marina Reservoir and the iconic architecture of the Founders’ Memorial.

A new teamLab flagship museum

The teamLab flagship museum built on a 12,000 sqm site will feature the international art collective’s first-ever multi-sensory indoor and outdoor voyage experience, where visitors can take a custom designed pedal kayak that traverses a controlled waterway for an active water experience.

teamLab, founded in 2021, is an international art collective. Their collaborative practice seeks to navigate the confluence of art, science, technology, and the natural world. Through art, the interdisciplinary group of specialists, including artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators, mathematicians, and architects, aims to explore the relationship between the self and the world, and new forms of perception.

Gardens by the Bay offers diverse experiences set within nature to appeal to a broad audience. Urban wetlands are rare in Singapore, and the teamLab experience is a unique and dynamic way for city-dwellers to get up close with such semi-aquatic ecosystems and see the biodiversity they support – an experience only possible at the Gardens.

A bridge to connect Bay South and Bay East Gardens

The construction of the bridge that will connect Bay South Garden with Bay East Garden across the Marina Reservoir will start in the second quarter of 2026.
It is marked by its sinuous curve design, which is elevated at the Bay South Garden end, then gently slopes downwards at the other end at Bay East Garden, until it rests just above the surface of the Marina Reservoir. The design offers visitors the unique experience of “walking on water” over this latter 175m-long stretch.

In addition to the enhanced accessibility, the public can also enjoy panoramic views of the Singapore skyline, including the two cooled conservatories and Supertrees at Bay South Garden, and the upcoming Founders’ Memorial at the redeveloped Bay East Garden.

To facilitate construction of the bridge, parts of Bay South Garden will have hoarding, and pedestrians and cyclists will be diverted to alternative routes.

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