Studio Ghibli fans have a new Singapore date to circle. The Story of Studio Ghibli is making its world premiere at Gardens by the Bay this December, bringing an expanded walk-through exhibition to the West Lawn. Organisers describe the Singapore edition as the largest presentation of the exhibition to date, covering almost 3,500 square metres and recreating 12 worlds inspired by some of the studio’s best-known films.
The headline attraction is a world-first, eight-metre-tall 3D recreation of the bathhouse from Spirited Away. The exhibition also promises scenes based on My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Howl’s Moving Castle and The Boy and the Heron. This is being promoted as an immersive experience rather than a conventional gallery of artwork, with large-scale sets, interactive multimedia and atmospheric elements designed to put visitors inside familiar Ghibli moments.
01 · The opening-date detail that matters
Early announcements describe the exhibition as opening or premiering on 18 December, which is accurate for the official launch but can be confusing for ordinary visitors. The live Klook listing now states that 18 December is reserved for the VIP opening ceremony and that public admission starts from 19 December 2026. If you are building a Singapore itinerary around the first weekend, use 19 December as the first bookable public day unless the official ticket page is updated again.
The exhibition is scheduled to remain in Singapore until 4 July 2027, so this is not a short pop-up. That long run gives travellers considerably more flexibility than an opening-week-only event. Even so, school holidays, Christmas/New Year and other peak dates can create much heavier demand, so a selected-date ticket is worth treating as a real itinerary commitment rather than something to organise at the last minute.
02 · Why the Singapore edition is significant
The Singapore presentation spans roughly 3,500 square metres and is billed as the largest version of The Story of Studio Ghibli staged so far. It is also the exhibition’s world premiere before an international tour. The production is by Tsukuru and M Experience, with support from the Singapore Tourism Board.
For travellers who have seen previous Ghibli exhibitions elsewhere, the scale is the useful distinction. This version is being built around a dozen life-sized recreated worlds rather than a small display of posters or production material. Organisers are also developing educational and learning components around themes such as creativity, resilience and environmental stewardship, although further details are expected closer to opening.
03 · What you can expect inside
The strongest confirmed visual is the Spirited Away bathhouse: an eight-metre-tall 3D recreation described as the first of its kind. The live ticket listing says visitors will be able to move from the towering exterior into a recreation of the boiler room, where Kamaji’s many arms and surrounding machinery are brought to life with animatronic detail.
My Neighbour Totoro gets another recognisable scene, with visitors stepping into the rain beside Totoro at the bus stop while the Catbus feels close by. Kiki’s Delivery Service is represented by the wooden door and bakery setting of Guchokipanya. The announced wider film line-up also includes Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle and The Boy and the Heron.
The organisers say the experience will combine recreated sets with multimedia, projection and interactive elements. Treat those confirmed examples as a preview, not a complete room-by-room inventory: more detail can still be announced before the public opening.
04 · Tickets and current prices
Klook is the official ticketing partner. The live pre-sale page currently lists Singapore resident adult admission at S$39 and local concession admission at S$29. Concession eligibility shown on the ticket page is for children aged 3–12 and seniors aged 65 and above.
For tourists, the price depends on the date selected. The live pre-sale panel currently shows tourist adult admission at S$55 and concession admission at S$49, while the launch pricing reported by The Straits Times also includes standard off-peak tourist prices of S$49 adult and S$43 concession. In other words, do not assume every day costs the same: select your intended date on the official booking page and check the final price before paying.
The current package is valid for the selected date and marked no cancellation. An optional No Face Fortune Coin Bundle is also listed. Because ticket products, availability and promotional bundles can change, we recommend using the live checkout page as the final authority rather than relying on an old screenshot or social post.
05 · Early-bird gift and peak-date planning
Adult admission tickets bought during the announced pre-sale period from 12 September to 17 December come with a limited-edition gift while stocks last. “While stocks last” is the important part: treat the gift as a bonus rather than a guaranteed reason to delay or reshape your trip.
The launch information identified peak dates including 24, 25 and 31 December 2026; 1 January 2027; 5–8 February; 9, 10, 25 and 26 March; 30 April; and 1, 17, 19 and 20 May 2027. Those dates can affect the tourist ticket price. If you have itinerary flexibility, compare a couple of dates before booking rather than assuming the first calendar slot is the best value.
06 · Hours, venue and how much time to allow
The exhibition is scheduled for 10am–7pm daily at the West Lawn, Gardens by the Bay. The official West Lawn venue page describes it as an outdoor event space in Bay South, but the Ghibli exhibition itself is a purpose-built immersive experience occupying the event footprint. More detailed entry procedures, session pacing and accessibility information may be released closer to opening.
No official “average visit duration” has been published in the sources we checked, so we are not inventing one. For planning purposes, leave a flexible block rather than sandwiching the exhibition between two timed attractions. That gives you room for entry queues, the recreated environments and a walk through the Gardens before or afterwards.
07 · Getting to the West Lawn
The easiest public-transport approach for most visitors is Bayfront MRT (CE1/DT16). Gardens by the Bay instructs visitors to use Exit B, follow the underground linkway and then cross either Dragonfly Bridge or Meadow Bridge into the Gardens. The Gardens’ official West Lawn page estimates the lawn is about a five-minute walk from Bayfront MRT.
If you are already on the Thomson-East Coast Line, Gardens by the Bay MRT (TE22) is another option: take Exit 1 directly into the Gardens beside Satay by the Bay. The West Lawn page also lists it as about a 10-minute walk from the main conservatories and roughly a three-minute Gardens shuttle ride from Bayfront Plaza.
Driving is possible, but event-day demand can make public transport the lower-friction choice. West Lawn’s official access information places Bayfront Plaza Carpark about a 10-minute walk away. Recheck Gardens by the Bay’s live transport advisories before your visit, especially if other major events are running in Bay South.
08 · Who this exhibition is likely to suit
This one is clearly designed to reach beyond hardcore animation collectors. The confirmed scenes lean into recognisable worlds and characters, while organisers describe the experience as suitable for fans of all ages. Families who know Totoro or Kiki, adults who grew up with Spirited Away, and first-time visitors who simply enjoy large immersive sets can all understand the experience without needing a deep knowledge of production history.
If you are visiting specifically for one film, check the current official listing before booking because the twelve-scene line-up may be described in more detail as opening approaches. If your main goal is simply to see the biggest confirmed set, the eight-metre Spirited Away bathhouse is the safest anchor for expectations.
09 · A sensible visitor plan
Book the exhibition first, then build the rest of the Gardens around it. Choose your date on the official ticket page, note that 18 December is not a public-admission day, and keep your selected-date booking confirmation easy to access. If a limited-edition pre-sale gift matters to you, remember it is subject to stock.
On the day, use Bayfront MRT if it suits your route and allow buffer time to reach the West Lawn. Gardens by the Bay is large, so “I’m at the Gardens” does not necessarily mean “I’m at the exhibition entrance”. After the exhibition, you can decide whether to add the conservatories, Supertree Grove or Marina Bay rather than overloading the same day with multiple prepaid time-sensitive attractions.
Finally, recheck the ticket page shortly before visiting. This story is being published more than three months before public opening, and operational details such as entry procedures, timed sessions, accessibility arrangements or additional programme elements can still be refined.
10 · Sources & verification
This guide was checked on 13 September 2026 against the live official ticket listing, Gardens by the Bay’s current transport and West Lawn venue information, and current Singapore reporting on the organiser’s launch announcement. We have separated the 18 December VIP premiere from the 19 December public opening because the live ticket page makes that distinction explicit. Date-sensitive prices are labelled as current rather than guaranteed for every visit date.
- Klook — official ticketing page and public-opening clarification
- Gardens by the Bay — official getting-here guidance
- Gardens by the Bay — West Lawn location and access
- The Straits Times — organiser launch details, scale, run dates and pricing
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