Following the 2014 exhibition in Paris that detailed the history of the Orient Express, the Pop-Up Attraction “Once Upon A Time on The Orient Express” will be in Singapore at Gardens by the Bay this December 2020. Selected by the Orient Express as the first destination outside of France to kick-start a series of exhibitions that unveil a fairy-tale universe related to travel, culture and gastronomy, the showcase is regarded a historical and educational presentation for all ages, spearheaded by the Arab World Institute (IMA).
Established in 1883 by Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, the Orient Express was a luxury train service and a myth for over 135 years. Lionised as a symbol of luxury travel and timeless refinement, the true Orient Express materialised in January 2015, in an effort to develop the eponymous brand and deploy it in the world of luxury and lifestyle, while respecting the history and values embodied by its legendary train.
Featuring an array of extraordinary objects and centuries old documents, “Once Upon A Time on The Orient Express” offers guests the opportunity to time-travel, retracing the train’s legacy and discovering the events which have since not only transformed the world but shaped the map. Through reconstructing the tracks and landscapes of previous generations, “Once Upon A Time on The Orient Express” promises a fully sensorial experience, once enjoyed only by few esteemed explorers and diplomates.
Adorned by artworks classified as Historical Monuments, the train which weighs over hundreds of tonnes, houses an estimated 300 precious items and documents, with furniture adapted and restored to their authentic former glory. Of its innumerable valuables, the train is expected to possess a locomotive built in France 158 years ago and a 1930s sleeper car, weighing close to 200 tonnes.
Set to open for public viewing at the West Lawn of Gardens by the Bay, this December 2020 up till June 2021. Visitors are invited to relive the emotions of travellers who have boarded the Orient Express through a reconstituted train platform, and showrooms where they can embark on fascinating journey displayed in evocative giant trunks that encapsulates the history of the Orient Express.