Learning a great deal about the world is not and should not be confined within the four corners of the classroom, the study hall, or the library. Nor should it be limited to textbooks, photos, videos, websites, and other media. The truth is, most of what we truly learn comes from our experiences and interaction with the real world. Furthermore, it is enormously more fun to see, feel, smell, and truly experience something rather than just having to see, read, or hear about it.
The Philippines is full of family-friendly museums, but only Museo Pambata is designed for the Filipino kid. Through the years, it has become an iconic part of the lives and hearts of Filipino children of yesterday and today. Those fond memories include sliding down the giant tongue; taking a picture while looking out from the second-floor window of bahay na bato; pretending to ride the galleon, tranvia, and kalesa; or simply talking to our national heroes over those rotary-dial telephones.
Museo Pambata Foundation, Inc. has softly launched its newest playground space named Bahay Pukyutan Playground, coinciding with the Manila Day celebration with Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso and Vice Mayor Dr. Honey Lacuna who have graced the event. A gesture of appreciation from the City of Manila, the 450th-year commemorative stamp and coin were also turned over to Museo Pambata.
Museo Pambata started working on the outdoor spaces of the museum last year. Its design was inspired by the late National Artist for Architecture, Francisco “Bobby” T. Mañosa who made an original wooden structure in the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife (formerly Parks and Wildlife Bureau) in QC. Patterned after the geometry of the honeycomb, the interconnected hexagonal shapes of the Bahay Pukyutan provide multi-level play space.
“We are happy that there’s another place in Museo Pambata for kids to explore and hone their physical and social skills. We believe that this new interactive space will shape the future children of Manila and create a better learning environment for them”, says Bambi Mañosa-Tanjutco, Museo Pambata’s President. “Once the restrictions ease, we will welcome everyone to Museo Pambata and share the new spaces we created for them to explore.”
No matter how much has changed in the world since Museo Pambata opened its doors 27 years ago, the people behind Museo Pambata still believe that what every child needs is an experience of childhood that should remain the same. Here’s to the next 27 years of creating community, communing with nature, and fostering Filipino values to bring back the pure fun of being a child.
To know more, like @museopambata on Facebook and Instagram, email info@museopambata.org, or visit www.museopambata.org
