Amber at Summarecon Mall Bekasi
While we like dropping by Jakarta’s museums and galleries to appreciate art, we’ve also been hankering to see immersive artworks akin to TeamLab’s light and sound exhibits – but they are few and far between in Indonesia.
Well, it looks like someone out there is listening in on our prayers because the new Amber digital playground is exactly what we’re hoping for. Located at Summarecon Mall Bekasi, this immersive playground boasts an interactive experience where you get to manipulate the environment through motion, footsteps, and even your voice.
Gorgeous, interactive light shows with a storyline
Amber’s kaleidoscopic light shows are used to portray the mystical realm of Amberville
Image credit: @eunike.regina
Part art exhibition and part technological showcase, what makes the interactive space so much fun is that we actually get to be part of the exhibition instead of simply gawking at whatever piece of art is on display.
This hall of mirrors is one of several unique photo spots inside the exhibit
Image credit: @sulistyawan_09
Aside from being interactive wallpapers, Amber’s kaleidoscopic light shows also form a larger narrative revolving around the story of our heroine, L Brianna. The story goes that L is on a journey to take back the magical stone of Amber from the clutches of the evil Azura Daichi and help save Amberville – and it’s up to us, her band of merry men, to help her on her noble quest.
In this section called the Dhandaka Tree, stepping on the round platforms to the right will trigger a response from the tree. No spoilers here.
Image credit: @sarahauliar
Now Amberville itself consists of several different sections, with each having their own bag of tricks. At the beginning, we travel through the mystical Taragam Forest and interact with the forest’s denizens by waving our hands, while later on at the Shindu Pond, we’re tasked with encouraging L to reclaim the Amber stone by shouting at the top of our lungs.
This motion-activated light pattern reacts to your movement in real-time, making for a unique photo opportunity
Image credit: @lilik_listiani
Throughout the exhibit, we’re accompanied by the animated figure of L herself and it’s actually pretty charming, in a Saturday-morning-cartoon kind of way. It’s nice to indulge our inner children every now and then and of course, the opportunity to snap some snazzy pics inside the immersive exhibit doesn’t hurt either.
COVID-19 health guidelines with hourly sessions and limited visitors
The exhibit’s grounds are regularly disinfected in between time slots
Image credit: @summareconmal.bekasi
With the vaccine rollout beginning just last month, we still have a long way to go until we can kiss PSBB goodbye. As has been the norm now, social distancing and health protocols are strictly enforced while you’re inside.
For the moment, visitors can only spend a maximum of 60 minutes within the exhibit and there’s a limit on how many visitors are allowed in each time slot to avoid crowding. Additionally, as shoes and sandals are disbarred from the exhibit, you’re required to wear socks inside, with Amber providing extra pairs for purchase if you fail to bring any.
Face masks are mandatory while you’re inside the exhibit
Image credit: @immersiveland.id
This is in addition to the standard health protocols of mandatory face masks and social distancing within the exhibit. With 600 square meters of space, slightly bigger than your average basketball court, there should be plenty of room for us without having to jostle with the other patrons for photo spots.
Tickets cost Rp. 42,000 (~USD3.00) each for weekdays and Rp. 55,000 (~USD3.92) each on weekends and public holidays. While you can buy them on the spot, we highly recommend booking them online to ensure there’re enough spots left for your group when you come to visit.
Amber immersive exhibit in Bekasi
Bekasi, the city neighboring Jakarta, is infamous among Jakartans for its notorious traffic, with some joking that going to Bekasi takes as much time as a trip to the moon. It’s not completely uncalled for though and if you’re thinking of going, it’s best to take the Commuter Line train to Bekasi Station and go with online taxis for the rest of the way.
Even if you decide to go by car, we’re pretty sure the trip is going to be worth the trouble as there’s nothing quite like Amber in the entire Jakarta metropolitan area. Just make sure you’re wearing plain clothes if you’re going and let the exhibition’s immersive light shows do the rest.
Address: Bekasi Food City, Summarecon Mall Bekasi GF, The Link Lobby, Jl. Boulevard Ahmad Yani, RT.006/RW.002, Marga Mulya, Kec. Bekasi Utara, Kota Bekasi, Jawa Barat 17143
Opening hours: 11AM–7PM, Daily
Website | Instagram
For more spots to check out in Indonesia, check out these stories:
- 10 unique mosques in Indonesia to visit
- 8 water villas in Indonesia with Bora-Bora vibes
- Broadway in Alam Sutera has a food street & thrift shop with retro US vibes
Cover image adapted from @immersiveland.id and @lilik_listiani
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