Interactive science: Fun for the young

MANILA, Philippines - When it comes to wholesome entertainment for the kids, parents can be assured that there’s more to SM Mall of Asia than the usual movie theaters, arcade game centers and toy stores. 

Compared to breaking the bank by flying the kids to Hong Kong or Singapore to see their famed science museums, moms can instead bring their kids to the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center, a 3,000-square-meter, two-level facility housing nine highly interactive walk-through galleries that deal with everything science from the simple burp to complex constellations.

Welcoming the guests and setting the atmosphere in the center is a giant two-level futuristic structure called the “Life Clock.” The first level has four large display panels that flash interesting trivia and real-time glimpses of what’s happening inside the center, while the second level features the digital “Time Capsule” where guests can e-mail messages and photos dated in the future.

Modern planetarium

Remember the planetarium in Manila where school children used to go to for fieldtrips back in the day? Well, the old one (which by the way is still operational) pales in comparison to the center’s main attraction, the country’s first and only “Digistar Planetarium,” a 15-meter 3D planetarium, equipped with all-dome video playback, star field and astronomical capabilities and digital surround sound.  

On the outside, the structure looks more like an alien space ship but wait till the show starts and guests, especially the kids, will no doubt be overwhelmed by the revolving simulated night sky projected in the 360-degree dome ceiling.

In addition, the 160-seater planetarium shows animated and science documentary films like Future is Wild, which deals with the possible future evolution of the animal kingdom; Ice Worlds, which discusses the Arctic and Antarctica icebergs and how grave the threat of climate change is to the glaciers and to humanity; and the animated film Dark Star Adventure, which follows a young girl’s space escapades as she tries to escape a planet doomed to oblivion. Kids will surely enjoy the unique movie experience and the sheer thrill of seeing life-like stars, planets, galaxies and constellations.

First level fun

“Image Port,” the first of four galleries in the first level, deals with the latest technologies in green screen and digital imaging. Here, guests can also have their photos taken against digital backgrounds and have them printed for a minimal fee.

The “Smart Media City,” on the other hand, features the interactive virtual gaming environment called “Gesturetek” where guests can play sports like volleyball and football against the computer or against each other with simple body movements, ala-Wii minus the remote.

Next to “Smart Media City” is “Transportation Nation” where kids can “design” virtual cars and “pilot” virtual airplanes in the flight simulator. The gallery also features two futuristic transporters: Wheelsurf and an operational Segway and a vintage 9-hp, two-cylinder engine automobile model from Shell Petroleum Corp. 

Also in the first level is the popular “Grossology” gallery which takes a novel approach in teaching the science of the human body, with entertaining and interactive sections like the Burp Man, Vomit Center, Patients Please, and Urine: The Game.

A new attraction of the center is the “Pop Art Wall” where moving silhouettes of the guests are recorded and posted on the giant wall against bright and high-contrast background colors. Much like a screensaver, the images, according to the tour guides, remain in the wall for the remainder of the day.

Another recent addition is the “Gravitram,” short for Gravity tramway, a kinetic art sculpture where rolling balls traverse an elaborate and complex metal rail, the first of its kind in the country.

On the second level, “Spaceship Earth” gives kids an idea on how troubled and in need of help our planet is, while “City Science” features scale models of the world’s famous skyscrapers, including the tallest building in the country, the PBCom Tower in Makati. 

It also has an earthquake simulation room to demonstrate how tremors affect buildings and teaches what to do during an actual quake.

In “Virtual Reef,” visitors will be immersed in a digitized tour of Philippine coral reefs and marine life. Arguably the highlight of the second level is the talking local titan fish Mr. T, who could answer question about the seas.

Another gallery is “Robot Inc.” that features the “Robot Hall of Fame” where life-size models of familiar robots in movies and television are displayed; “Robot Tanks,” an RC game for four; and “Mestro,” a robot capable of “playing” classical music.

The Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center is a must-see for young students with its innovative interactive science displays that are sure to tap their scientific curiosity in a fun and entertaining way.

A P330 entrance fee entitles a guest to an all-day tour of the center plus one planetarium show, but if you buy specially marked Nido products at any SM Supermarket branches, you’ll get free passes or a discount off the entrance fee.