The inescapable phenomenon that is Pop Mart and its myriad characters now comes to Singapore in larger-than-life sizes. The Skullpanda Cage-Uncage showcase brings Pop Mart, Singapore Tourism Board and the National Museum together for a first-of-its-kind tripartite partnership following on from 2024’s Play:Datem, which marked the museum’s first collaboration with Pop Mart.

The current Skullpanda exhibition continues the narrative of contemporary programming and history, taking place within Singapore’s National Museum, where Skullpanda’s distinctive, richly figurative art invites visitors to explore artistic craft and embedded narratives of its young creator Xiong Miao.

This exhibition marks the series’ inaugural showcase beyond China, following on from its Shanghai debut, and runs till February 22, 2026. More than just a display of a supersized collectible, the Skullpanda Cage-Uncage exhibition invites profound introspection and emotional renewal, with its imagery of locks and keys evoking poignant metaphors of restraint and freedom, mirroring Skullpanda’s creator, Xiong Miao, a video game designer and founder of North Studio art workshop, whose works express her personal views of artistic freedom.

Kevin Zhang, Head of Brand Partnerships and Activations at Pop Mart APAC, shares that Xiong Miao remained firmly in the driving seat with Pop Mart’s continual development of this character. The titular character is a girl with oversized eyes, puffball pigtails, and is frequently depicted in various outfits and an astronaut’s helmet to symbolise her constant need for exploration. “The philosophy is rooted in the belief that the artist should not be put in a cage but given free space and an open canvas to deliver their vision,” Zhang says.

Visitors to this Singapore exhibition will enter a space divided into six thematic zones: Emotion, Direction, Fortune, Rules, Life, and Exploration. Each zone transforms intangible concepts into tangible reflections through motion, touch, and sound. Immersive installations and monumental sculptures delve into themes of confinement, choice, freedom, and self-discovery.

For its Singaporean bow, the exhibition also pays homage to the country’s traditions and bird-singing hobby with an installation of suspended cages containing original prototype figurines from Skullpanda The Paradox Series, complemented by Xiong Miao’s video artwork.

Chung May Kan, Director of the National Museum of Singapore, shares that the approach of the showcase aligns with the National Museum’s mission to tell Singapore’s 700-year history through immersive experiences to facilitate understanding and curiosity. “This showcase allows you to have a quiet and honest conversation with yourself; you’ll find that it’s nothing too abstract. You don’t necessarily have to learn something out of it, but it’s more of understanding yourself.”

The ticketed Skullpanda exhibition at Stamford Gallery and Gallery Theatre is also augmented by the irrepressible pop-up stores with limited commemorative plushies, as well as the Skullpanda figurines and blind boxes.

“International collaborations such as the SKULLPANDA CAGE-UNCAGE Showcase demonstrate Singapore’s dynamism as a location to showcase world-class creativity rooted in our own distinctive destination identity. By fostering connections between local museums and global creative leaders such as POP MART, we’re delivering unique experiences that visitors cannot find anywhere else,” said Mr. Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Marketing Group), Singapore Tourism Board.

“This tripartite partnership exemplifies our Tourism 2040 vision of building an attractive destination where history and contemporary culture intersect meaningfully, creating the memorable and transformative experiences that today’s Gen Z and Millennial travellers seek.”

Skullpanda Cage-Uncage Exhibition at The National Museum Of Singapore

Showcase images courtesy of National Museum of Singapore and POP MART