Singapore Flyer - Facts for Kids

Basic Information

The Singapore Flyer is a giant observation wheel located in the Marina Bay area of Singapore, a beautiful island country in Southeast Asia.

Singapore Flyer is the type of landmark called an observation wheel, which is like a super-tall, slow-moving Ferris wheel that lets you see amazing views from high up in the sky.

The Singapore Flyer officially opened its doors to visitors on March 1, 2008, making it a relatively young attraction that's still modern and exciting today.

The Singapore Flyer is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it's still one of the most famous and photographed landmarks in all of Singapore.

The Singapore Flyer stands 165 meters (541 feet) tall, which is about as high as a 42-story building reaching up into the clouds.

The wheel part of the Singapore Flyer is 150 meters (492 feet) across — if you laid it flat, it would stretch almost as long as one whole soccer field from end to end!

The Singapore Flyer was built mostly from strong steel and glass.

The Singapore Flyer serves as a tourist attraction where people can ride in special capsules to see spectacular views of Singapore, Malaysia, and even Indonesia on clear days.

The Singapore Flyer welcomes visitors every day from morning until late at night, and you can even book special experiences like having a dinner high up inside one of the capsules as the wheel turns!

The Singapore Flyer is historically significant because it helped transform Singapore's Marina Bay area into one of the most modern and beautiful waterfronts in the world.

History & Origins

The Singapore Flyer was built between 2005 and 2008, taking about three years to complete this amazing engineering project.

The Singapore Flyer was built to create a major tourist attraction and to give people a unique way to see Singapore's beautiful skyline from above.

The Singapore Flyer was designed by a team of companies from around the world — including Arup, DP Architects, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries — who worked together to create this amazing giant wheel!

The original purpose of the Singapore Flyer was to become an iconic landmark that would put Singapore on the map as a must-visit destination for tourists from around the world.

The Singapore Flyer was officially launched in a special ceremony with fireworks and celebrations on April 15, 2008, and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was the guest of honour!

During construction, workers carefully built the Singapore Flyer’s giant wheel piece by piece — almost like putting together the world’s biggest puzzle high up in the sky!

The Singapore Flyer was inspired by other famous observation wheels around the world, but designers wanted to make it even taller and more spectacular.

When the Singapore Flyer first opened in 2008, it became the world's tallest observation wheel, beating the famous London Eye in height.

Architecture & Design

The Singapore Flyer's main structure is made from high-strength steel that was specially chosen to withstand strong tropical winds and weather.

The Singapore Flyer features 28 air-conditioned capsules that are attached to the wheel's rim, and each capsule is bigger than most bedrooms.

Each capsule on the Singapore Flyer has floor-to-ceiling glass windows so passengers can see in every direction without anything blocking their view.

The engineers who built the Singapore Flyer used computer modeling to test how the wheel would handle strong winds before they even started building it.

Interesting Features

The Singapore Flyer has special wheelchair-accessible capsules that allow everyone, including people with mobility challenges, to enjoy the ride.

The capsules on the Singapore Flyer are shaped like rounded rectangles, giving passengers lots of room to move around and see views from different angles.

The Singapore Flyer has an audio guide system that tells passengers fun and interesting facts about the famous landmarks they can see from high up in the sky!

From the top of the Singapore Flyer, you can see famous landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, and even ships in the Singapore Strait.

Bonus Fun Facts

Today, the Singapore Flyer operates as one of Marina Bay's most popular tourist attractions, drawing visitors from all over the world every single day.

Each year during Earth Hour in March, the Singapore Flyer joins other famous landmarks by turning off its lights for one hour to help raise awareness about protecting our planet!

At the ground level of the Singapore Flyer, you’ll find lots of places to eat, fun shops to buy souvenirs, and interesting spaces to explore before or after your ride higher up in the sky!