CHILDREN and children-at-heart were awed as they gathered last week at the NBC Tent in Bonifacio Global City to witness the unveiling of the plan for the Mind Museum in Taguig that introduced to the public what has been promised as the country’s “first world-class science museum.”

A brainchild of Bonifacio Art Foundation Inc. (Bafi), the Mind Museum “is our answer to the call of the times,” Antonio Aquino, president of Bafi, said.

“Study after study has shown that if we were to make a case for a better economic and social future for our children, we have to have a strong foundation in the sciences,” Aquino said.

He said the responsibility does not rest on scientists and universities alone.

Manuel Blas II, managing director of the Mind Museum, said, “Since we began, we have been asking the question, ‘What if we had our own science museum?’”

He explained that the Philippines has not had something like this before, even if other countries have had theirs for over a hundred years already.

He said the idea gained positive response from many sectors, including a number of big companies.

“It was indeed a very encouraging sign, since this is a billion-peso project and our good ideas and intentions would never take off without the financial backing that we needed.”

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ABOVE is the artist's rendition of the Earth Gallery with an image of the T. Rex, while below is the artist's sketch of the Mind Museum façade.

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“As of today, we have already reached 83 percent of our target,” he said.

The museum will rise on a 12,000-square-meter site at JY Campos Park in Bonifacio High Street. It will have more than 175 interactive exhibits in five galleries and a science-themed park outside.

Its unique architecture is designed for functionality and sustainability. For instance, it has an especially curved roof designed for efficient rain collection.

The Mind Museum’s future curator, Maria Isabel Garcia, gave the visitors a virtual walk-through of the museum. She said the building is a “living space that has mysterious cavities, exciting chambers, a meandering bridge, and even its own version of a looping highway.”

Upon arrival, visitors will be greeted by a robot at the lobby. The Main Corridor, she explained, “will initially dispel notions that science is cold by giving [visitors] playfully elegant projected multimedia renditions of the 10 most beautiful experiments in science.

It will also feature an atrium, called the Hall of Philippine Science. Garcia said it will “showcase our efforts in conservation science, sustainable communities, science education, science as a profession, and a special exhibit on rice.”

The museum is divided into five main galleries. The first gallery, the Universe Gallery, will tell the story of the universe’s “expanding and accelerating immensity.” The gallery will also house a planetarium, Garcia said.

The Earth Gallery houses a cast from real fossils of the “most complete T. Rex ever unearthed.” The gallery will give visitors “4.6 billion years of Earth’s history in 12 minutes.” 

A giant version of the human brain sits at the Life Gallery, besides exhibits that showcase the “exuberant varieties of life.” The Atom Gallery will house interactive exhibits that will explain the quantum world.

The Technology Gallery is found on the second floor. “Here, you will find the beginnings and development of tools that have changed all aspects of our lives,” explained Garcia.

Design firm Jack Rouse Associates undertook the master plan and exhibit designs, while Science Center Singapore acted as planning consultant.

Filipino firm Lor Calma and Partners Inc. designed the building itself.

Construction of the museum will begin in November 2009. It is set to be completed in the third quarter of 2011.

Capping the unveiling was Bella Gaia (Beautiful Earth), an audio-video presentation directed by filmmaker and classical violinist Kenji Williams, in collaboration with the US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Bella Gaia is a 50-minute live performance by Williams against a large-screen backdrop of orbiting visuals of Earth from outer space. In this performance, Williams collaborated with Ballet Philippines, which provided the much- needed choreography at the foreground.

The project’s sponsors, students, representatives from the Department of Education and Taguig City Mayor Freddie Tinga graced the event.