Star Wars Pop-Up Library Opens at Changi Airport With 2,000 Books and a Robotic Arm

A galaxy of books arrives at Terminal 3

More than 2,000 Star Wars books, 380 unique titles and a robotic arm that retrieves books are bringing a new reading experience to Singapore's Changi Airport. The country's first Star Wars pop-up library opened on August 6, 2025, and will run until January 24, 2026.

The National Library Board (NLB), Disney and Changi Airport Group have collaborated on the temporary library as part of NLB's 30th anniversary celebrations. The aim is to draw travellers, families and fans into reading through a fictional universe many already know from the screen.

Admission is free. The library is on Level 2 of Terminal 3, near the Skytrain and the linkbridge to Jewel Changi Airport, and opens daily from 10am to 10pm. Its location puts books alongside the journeys, shopping trips and family outings that bring people to the airport.

Inside, digital screens loop familiar Star Wars scenes. Visitors can take photographs with digital backdrops and figures of R2-D2 and C-3PO made to match the characters' size. Books, quizzes and a trivia wall give people several ways to explore the stories, whether they are longtime fans or encountering the franchise for the first time.

The project also gives NLB a place to test an automated borrowing and return system. A robotic arm works behind glass, making the movement of books part of the attraction. Alongside the entertainment, the library offers a practical example of NLB's effort to bring reading beyond conventional library buildings.

What can visitors read?

NLB librarians have selected physical and digital books for a broad range of ages and interests. The collection stretches from board books for young children to comics, manga and novels, giving families options even when their reading abilities and tastes differ.

Among the titles are the Star Wars: Darth Vader comic series, The Mandalorian: The Manga, The High Republic junior novels and the Thrawn: Ascendancy trilogy. The Padawan Cookbook adds another way into the fictional universe for readers interested in cooking.

The variety matters to the library's purpose: a visitor drawn in by a film character can discover that the same universe also has stories in other formats. A child might begin with an illustrated book, while an older reader chooses a novel or follows a character through a comic series.

The library combines that collection with activities that require no long reading session. Visitors can take a personality quiz to discover which Jedi or Sith character they most resemble, test their knowledge at the trivia wall or stop for photographs. For families and travellers with limited time, these provide a short visit as well as a route towards the shelves.

How does the robotic arm work?

A robotic arm handles book retrieval and shelving instead of a traditional librarian carrying out those tasks. Visitors choose a title on a touchscreen kiosk, and the arm locates the book inside its glass enclosure before delivering it to a collection point.

Returns are automated too. The system accepts returned books and places them back on the shelves. Visitors can watch the machinery work, giving an ordinary library transaction a connection to the droids and technology familiar from Star Wars.

The pilot is the first system of its kind in Singapore and forms part of NLB's wider effort to introduce technology into library services. Its aim is to make borrowing more convenient, efficient and engaging, especially in busy places such as airports.

Books borrowed from the pop-up can be returned at any NLB library across Singapore. A themed bookdrop is also available at the airport location, giving borrowers a return option there without requiring them to make a special trip back to Terminal 3.

The combination of physical books, digital choices and automated handling is central to the experiment. Visitors still leave with something to read, while the process of finding and collecting it becomes part of the experience.

Entry, borrowing and the dates to know

Visitors can enter by scanning a library compliant identity card, such as an NRIC, or an NLB eCard. Travellers and people who are not library members can request a QR code day pass using a Singapore registered mobile number or an email address.

Borrowing is managed through the NLB Mobile app, available from Google Play and Apple's App Store. Patrons can borrow up to 16 books and eBooks for 21 days. The entry arrangements and app are intended to make the experience accessible to people already using Singapore's libraries and those encountering the network for the first time.

The library's announced schedule is:

• August 6, 2025: The Star Wars pop-up library opens at Changi Airport Terminal 3.
• During its run: Visitors can enter daily from 10am to 10pm.
• January 24, 2026: The pop-up library's scheduled final day.

For local residents, the library offers another place to pick up a book. For tourists and people spending time at the airport, it adds a reading stop to a journey or outing. Free admission also allows visitors to explore the setting and activities before deciding what they want to read.

Why use Star Wars to encourage reading?

Star Wars has reached generations through stories of heroism, adventure and the struggle between good and evil. NLB is using that familiarity to introduce people to books that extend beyond the films, with characters and settings serving as a starting point for reading.

Ng Cher Pong, NLB's chief executive officer, described the partnership as a way to bring learning into places people already visit:

Pop-up libraries have brought reading and learning closer to where our patrons are. The collaboration with Disney and Changi Airport Group for this Star Wars-themed library is part of our NLB30 celebrations, offering a fun way for everyone to learn more about one of the world's most fabled universes and to discover the joys of reading.

For families, familiar characters can provide a shared interest across generations. Parents and children can choose books together, explore the wider themes of the stories and take part in the same activities even if they read different kinds of books.

Travellers can use the library as a break before a flight or during time spent at the airport. The mix of reading, photographs and quizzes makes room for both a brief detour and a longer visit.

Early visitors welcome the collection and robot

The pop-up has attracted local fans and international tourists. Early visitors have responded positively to the range of books, the surrounding Star Wars imagery and the novelty of watching a robot retrieve a title.

Dave Png, a marketing manager and early visitor, said the concentration of books helped reveal a part of Star Wars that audiences may know less well than its films:

I've never seen so many Star Wars books in one place. It's a good concept since Star Wars books may not be as well known as the movies, and now fans can find out more from the books as well.

Kazuki Ishii, a tourist from Osaka, Japan, highlighted the automated borrowing experience:

I was surprised and excited. The robot that helped retrieve the book added to the fun experience.

Families have also welcomed the interactive activities and the chance to introduce children to reading through familiar characters. Changi's role as a major international airport brings the project within reach of a global audience, connecting Singapore's library services with visitors who might otherwise have little reason to enter a local library.

How the airport library fits NLB's wider plans

The Star Wars project forms part of NLB's LAB25 vision, which seeks to turn libraries into lively learning marketplaces extending beyond their traditional walls. In practical terms, that means placing books and opportunities to learn where people already spend time.

Since 2021, NLB has introduced pop-up nodes in shopping malls, parks, offices and food and beverage outlets. These smaller points of access are intended to encourage spontaneous reading and learning, without requiring every encounter with a book to begin with a planned library visit.

Other recent initiatives include the Book Bugs: Unearthing Memories exhibition at the Asian Civilisations Museum, pop-up libraries with collections curated by local personalities, and the Presidential Pop-up Library at Plaza Singapura, featuring books by and about Singapore's presidents.

The airport project brings several parts of that approach together: a location with many visitors, a recognisable cultural theme, a curated collection and technology that changes how books are handled. Its temporary format allows NLB to place a focused collection in a setting outside its usual branches.

Digital tools and library upgrades are also planned

NLB is expanding its digital services alongside these physical projects. ChatBook is a book assistant powered by artificial intelligence, while StoryGen creates multimedia stories from text. Both are intended to add new ways to engage with reading and stories.

The Glue: Curiocity digital platform connects users with Singapore's historical narratives and hidden heritage sites. It combines physical exploration with digital discovery, linking learning to places people can explore beyond a library building.

Established library spaces are also being renewed. The Rare Collections Gallery at the National Library Building will be expanded, and several branch libraries are slated for upgrades. A special exhibition on Chinese classic novels is planned for 2026 in collaboration with the National Library of China.

Ng has described NLB's goal as building an informed society, rather than simply informed library users. The Star Wars pop-up puts that ambition into a specific setting: people arriving for a flight, meeting family or visiting Jewel can encounter books and learning as part of the same trip.

Popular culture supplies the invitation, while the collection gives visitors somewhere to go beyond the initial attraction. The robotic arm, digital screens and interactive activities support an experience whose central purpose remains encouraging people to discover stories and keep reading.

Key Points

• Singapore's first Star Wars pop-up library opened at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on August 6, 2025, and runs until January 24, 2026.
• Admission is free, with daily opening hours of 10am to 10pm on Level 2 near the Skytrain and the linkbridge to Jewel.
• The collection includes more than 2,000 books and 380 unique titles, with physical and digital reading options.
• A robotic arm retrieves and shelves books as part of a pilot automated library system.
• Visitors can enter with a suitable identity card, an NLB eCard or a QR code day pass. Borrowing uses the NLB Mobile app.
• Patrons can borrow up to 16 books and eBooks for 21 days, and physical books can be returned at any NLB library.
• The collaboration between NLB, Disney and Changi Airport Group is part of NLB's 30th anniversary celebrations and its LAB25 vision.
• NLB's wider programme includes digital reading tools, library upgrades and an exhibition on Chinese classic novels planned for 2026.