A little over a month ago, our homeschool group went to Lakbay Museo, an interactive museum that allows you to explore the different Philippine regions, its rich history, and different cultures.
Before you enter, you can opt to put on traditional Filipino garments and fabrics. The good thing is, they have these garments available in kid sizes! Each guest receives 12 “chips,” which they can use to purchase local snacks (such as fishballs, gulaman, biscuits, etc.) inside the museum.
Upon entry, you are greeted by typical Filipino stores — a sari-sari store (mom-and-pop store), a vegetable and fruit stand, and a palengke (wet market). I was really impressed by their ‘plastic food’ items! So realistic, and they really thought about how these food items are usually displayed in the actual stores.
There are 18 regions in the Philippines across its three main regions — Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The museum space is a bit smaller than I expected; and naturally, a few regions had to be merged in the museum displays. This is fine, since the information can really be overwhelming, especially for kids. However, it would’ve been quite helpful if there were bigger spaces allotted per display area. Since the displays are pretty close-knit, it’s easy to confuse one display with a different region.
If your child is studying Philippine regions, this would be a great jump off point for lessons. It helps too that the displays are interactive and there are snapshots of regional information. There was a puppet show and a dance performance to aid in cultural exposure and interaction. I found the puto and suman seats really cute!
Puppet Show and Dance Performances
When visiting with small kids, there is a tendency to just ‘play around’ and enjoy/ take photos of the exhibits. Kids will not read the regional information, even if it’s presented quite nicely. To maximize the visit, I think it would be best if there could be short talks per region by the museum personnel/ guides. Alternatively, pick one or two things that are special per region and discuss it more thoroughly with your kids. That way, they can retain a bit more of the regional information.
Overall, Lakbay Museo is a great way to introduce and/or brush up on Philippine regional information for kids and adults alike. Do visit when you get a chance! 🙂
Address: Level 1, S Maison, Marina Way, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Daily
Start of Tour: Every 15 minutes, last admission 9:00 PM
Lakbay Museo A little over a month ago, our homeschool group went to Lakbay Museo, an interactive museum that allows you to explore the different Philippine regions, its rich history, and different cultures.