Singaporeans revisit ‘iconic’ Snow City before closure, say goodbye to a piece of childhood
The thing many people remember about Snow City isn’t just the snow.
For some, it was the thrill of hurtling down an icy slope in oversized winter boots. For others, it was fake snowball fights with siblings, classmates and cousins. It was the novelty of seeing “snow” without boarding a plane.
Source: @snowcitysg on Instagram
So when news broke that Snow City would close after 26 years, many Singaporeans found themselves making an unexpected return trip — one final visit to a place they had not thought about in years.
Visitors returned after hearing Snow City was closing
Singapore’s first indoor snow centre will close on 30 Sept as the Science Centre Board refreshes its offerings amid “shifting visitor interests”.
But among visitors who spoke to MS News, the closure was more than just the end of an attraction.
It felt like saying goodbye to a small but familiar part of growing up in Singapore.
Image by MS News
For two teenage girls, the closure announcement was exactly what brought them back.
“We had no idea it was going to close,” one said. “We thought Snow City was actually doing quite well.”
The pair had visited years earlier to hang out. This time, they came with a different purpose.
“We came because of the closure,” they said. “Just to see her go.”
A group of university students in their early 20s shared similar sentiments.
“It’s quite sad,” one said. “I remember I came here as a kid… It’s quite nostalgic,” said one student.
Another remembered Snow City as a June holiday ritual.
“It was a very nice place to go to during the June holidays when I was younger,” they said.
One admitted she could barely recall her childhood visit, lamenting that she only remembered to revisit this forgotten piece of her childhood when it was closing.
It’s kind of sad that I haven’t seen it since then, and we’re only coming when it’s closing.
One attraction, one shared memory
Despite the age differences, visitors kept returning to the same answer when asked about their favourite memory at Snow City.
The 60-metre Snow Slope.
Source: Snow City Singapore
A father visiting with his young son laughed when the boy immediately named it as his favourite part.
“He loved the slide,” the father said. “He went there three or four times.”
Others also fondly recalled snowball fights.
While some attractions are known for their spectacle, Snow City’s magic seemed to lie in simpler moments.
It provided visitors a wonderful and magical escape from the tropical heat outside, without them having to plan a trip overseas.
Another leisure space bites the dust
The closure also prompted reflection on whether Singapore is losing affordable leisure spaces.
Snow City, which had cost S$7 million to build, charged visitors S$12 per adult and S$7 per child for entry when it first opened in 2000.
While ticket prices have increased more than two decades later, it still remains relatively accessible for most Singaporeans compared to other activities.
Source: Klook
“I feel like it’s super expensive [to go out] now,” one teenager said.
“There’s not really much to do if you’re not willing to drop S$50 in one day.”
She added that gathering spaces outside shopping malls were becoming harder to find.
“Places like these are important,” she told MS News. “You don’t want to just sit at the void deck or your friend’s house every time you want to hang out.”
The father, visiting with his son, agreed that such places matter.
“I think it’s important because it’s one thing to keep family bonding,” he said.
He described Singapore as becoming “a bit more congested and a bit boring”, adding that more adventurous attractions for children would be welcome.
A 13-year-old interviewed by MS News put it even more bluntly:
Now it’s just all shopping malls.
More than an attraction, it was where memories were made
For many visitors, Snow City represented something uniquely Singaporean — a place to create core memories with family and friends.
It was even more special for those who could not travel to experience snow for themselves.
Source: Klook
However, not everyone was devastated by Snow City’s closure.
Asked whether she would miss it, the 13-year-old student offered a practical response.
“No,” she said. “You can go to Korea.”
Picture courtesy of TheSmartLocal
Then there was the little boy whose answer perhaps captured the bittersweet mood best.
Would he miss Snow City?
“Yes.”
Would he come back again?
“Tomorrow.”
As Singapore continues to reinvent itself, landmarks inevitably come and go.
But judging by the crowds returning for one final visit, Snow City was never just about manufactured snow.
It was where childhood memories quietly accumulated.
One snowball fight, one trip down the slide, and one snowfall, at a time.
For those keen to visit, Snow City is having a farewell promotion that includes one hour of snow play and a bumper car ride.
Ticket prices start at S$16 for children aged three to 12, and S$19 for adults.
Also read: Snow City to close in Sept after 26 years, hosts ‘One Last Snowfall’ as farewell event
Snow City to close in Sept after 26 years, hosts ‘One Last Snowfall’ as farewell event
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Featured image courtesy of MS News and adapted from Snow City Singapore.
