I am your father at ArtScience Museum

“Daddy, school’s out but we can’t go anywhere. How do we get through the whole month?” Pangzi sounded desperate.

“Who says we can’t go out. I’m taking you to the Star Wars Identities exhibition at the ArtScience Museum,” I happily announced.

“Why? There’s the coronavirus going on!”

“Because I am your father. Enough said. Let’s go.”

So Pangzi reluctantly put on his mask and followed me to the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, where the exhibition was ongoing till end June.

I got the tickets effectively for free using the SingapoRediscovers vouchers.

“Daddy, why are you not wearing a mask? Someone didn’t wear a mask to MBS and is now famous.” he asked with genuine concern.

“Because I am your father,” I said. “In any case, I’m vaccinated. I feel the force so powerful in me.”

“But I didn’t get the jab. You’re putting my life at risk!”

“Oh don’t be a wimp. Covid-19 will be endemic. You must learn to live with it forever.”

“Daddy, who’s Andy Mick?”

“Endemic means the coronavirus becomes an everyday occurrence just like a common flu. You must be strong against it.”

“How do you know all this?”

“Because I am your father. Ask me anything. But now let me enjoy the exhibition.”

The ArtScience Museum is known to bring in quirky exhibitions of all variety. This time, Star Wars Identities is surprisingly more focussed on education than paying tribute to the movie franchise.

Visitors are given a wrist band to interact with 10 stations. Each station is designed to illustrate how the choices you make in life lead to the formation of your identity.

“Daddy, Darth Vader wasn’t all that bad at first right. Did his father mislead him?”

“No no no. Don’t blame it on the father. He made his own choice later when he grew up. Maybe he thought it’s cool to be in a black suit all the time.”

“When I grow up, do I have many choices to make?”

“Yes, but for now, you listen only to me.”

“Because you are my father?” Pangzi asked expectantly.

“That’s right, you get it,” I said. “And because Darth Vader said so. He’s the unstoppable one with the force.”

The ArtScience Museum had to close, so we wrapped up and were soon on the way out.

“What have you learned today?” I asked.

“Now I know why they call it the ‘force’, because all fathers force their children!” Pangzi concluded.

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