Immersive exhibition to provide uniquely Filipino learning experience

1 of 3

COMMUNITY GARDEN and Kitchen

MUSIC TOWER

FISHING AREA

THE MIND MUSEUM, in partnership with NutriAsia, has launched an immersive exhibition that is set to tour the Philippines.

The new touring exhibition, PlayTales: Reimagining Tomorrows, now at its first stop at the Mind Museum, aims to offer a uniquely Filipino learning experience for children ages five to 10. It contains a series of imaginative zones of familiar aspects of life in the Philippines, from planting to cooking to eating, as well as music and play.

“It’s scientifically proven that hand-body coordination is built in our brain because of thousands of years of evolution. It doesn’t happen so quickly. Digital [has been around] only for a moment. In the past 20 years, digital has accelerated, but we’ve had this brain for at least 200,000 years as Homo sapiens,” The Mind Museum’s managing director and curator, Maria Isabel Garcia, told BusinessWorld at the launch on June 6.

“That’s why [when] kids are disconnected from nature there are so many consequences,” she said, on the importance of tactile and experiential learning opportunities for the children of today.

According to Ms. Garcia, the goal of PlayTales is to show that better futures are possible and to promote science education, Filipino innovation, and cultural appreciation. The key is to do all of this in an environment that allows children to imagine and play.

“The brain treats what you imagine as real. That is why reading books and stories work for the brain, because they serve as practice or drills for our real emotional lives,” she said. “We play a lot because play is such a fertile ground for your imagination, whether you are a kid or a kid at heart.”

Developed along with NutriAsia, a founding donor of The Mind Museum, PlayTales’ immersive environments and interactive storytelling are all anchored on the idea that the future of the country can be shaped and built together with children.

“There’s a movement around the world that thinks about the future as multiple, that there are many possible futures in all aspects of our lives, be it music, learning, eating and talking, farming, or shopping. All can be shape-shifted according to your imagination,” Ms. Garcia told BusinessWorld, on what she hopes children will take away from the experience of PlayTales.

Located just outside The Mind Museum’s main entrance, the exhibition area contains multiple zones for play, designed as a vibrant, hands-on experience that families can explore together.

It has a Community Garden and Kitchen, housed in a bamboo structure similar to a nipa hut or bahay kubo. Toy vegetables of the iconic folk tune populate the garden, all labeled so that children know what they look like. The space allows them to harvest, cook, plant, and sell these vegetables, with recipes for Filipino dishes like sinigang and pinakbet on display to guide them to shop accordingly.

Nearby, the Eco-Essentials zone reimagines the traditional sari-sari (sundry) store of the future, built using recycled materials and bamboo elements. It features everyday pantry items, local food inspirations, and playful reinterpretations of familiar essentials. Children can, again, pretend to buy and sell the items on display.

“The Mind Museum is really designed by Filipinos, for Filipinos. It’s not a copy. You cannot find a museum anywhere in the world that looks like this,” Ms. Garcia said. “We found that kids are really hungry for things that can allow them to shapeshift and rewire their brains.”

The children can explore the Music Tower, another bamboo-built installation, this time showcasing local instruments from across the Philippines.

Finally, the Fishing Area is where children can discover the deep connection between people and water by catching seafood and understanding how it works.

Designed for families with children aged five to 10 years old, is now open at The Mind Museum in BGC, Taguig City. Depending on the venue, the traveling exhibition can take up anywhere from 180 to 250 square meters.

“We have established partners who are all waiting for their turn. Usually, it’s in the provinces,” Ms. Garcia said. “The foot traffic is also high in malls, and we won’t charge so that they can experience it for free.”

Those who want to enter PlayTales can access it for an hour and a half for P300 for children and P250 for adult guardians (with one free adult companion for children up to 10 years old).

An all-day pass to The Mind Museum and to PlayTales costs P900 per child or adult. The Mind Museum is located at the JY Campos Park, 3^rd Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. It is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Brontë H. Lacsamana