Explore Singapore's Heritage with Samsung's Cultural Explorer Mobile Application

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This year, we celebrate Singapore's 50th birthday and commemorate a young nation's milestone. As we look back into the history of Singapore - old playgrounds, childhood games, national campaigns, major events and developments, let's not forget to take a look at our rich cultural and heritage.

Samsung Electronics Singapore has recently launched a new mobile application (for android users) to facilitate children as well as adults in understanding and appreciation of heritage landmarks via augmented reality technology. Singapore has been selected as the first Southeast Asian country to roll out the app.

With the strong support from National Heritage Board (NHB), National Parks Board (NParks) and Singapore Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the initial launch enables users to see how National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Botanic Gardens and Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall looked like decades ago.

How does it works?

Download "Culture Explorer (Singapore)" which is compatible with all Android smartphones and tablets, from Google Play or Galaxy Apps and you can start exploring Singapore's rich history, revisit the historical landmarks simply by pointing, swiping and reading.

Once you launched the app, it will indicate how far away you are from the nearest heritage site and give you directions.

There are also many photos and facts where you can browse through to broaden your knowledge of the heritage site, and appreciate its past and present.

To simulate the experience of going back in time, you can take photos of yourself and your friends, and superimpose the photos onto pictures of Singapore landmarks (Past or Present)!

Denver & Gladys had their first hands-on experience with the new application and they love the visual simulation very much. :)

Check out their superimpose photo with Botanic Gardens at the background. This photo was produced after the children have modified the picture using the editing toolbar within the app,

More photos of us travelling back in time!

I love this one with the luggage! It really looks as if our kiddos have travel back in time.

The Cultural Explorer app came in pretty handy and provided us with more facts and images of the heritage site we are standing. Sitting within Victoria Concert Hall, we are looking forward to a musical experience with Jason Lai and Singapore Symphony Orchestra, who will be sharing with the audience more about music in "Jason's A to Z of Classical Music".

Browse through the app and revisit Victoria Concert Hall in the past and present.

To support communities in learning more about the significant landmarks in Singapore, Samsung is working with schools to bring heritage discovery closer to our younger generation.  

Currently, there are 3 landmarks listed within the Cultural explorer app and more will be available in the future. 

1) Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall 

2) National Museum of Singapore

3) Singapore Botanic Gardens

4) Raffles Hotel (coming soon in July 2015)

5) The Arts House (coming soon in July 2015)

The Cultural Explorer app is pretty user-friendly and self-explanatory. The only glitch I have experience is the app 'hanging' or going into shut off mode. Hopefully more updates will be available to improve the stability of the application. We are looking forward to see more landmarks available and bringing heritage closer to our lives.