Museo Pambata: An Overview

Museo Pambata is the first children's interactive museum in the Philippines, established in 1994. It offers a fun and exciting alternative to traditional classroom learning, engaging young minds and inspiring them to learn through interactive exhibits, programs, and events. The museum empowers Filipino children to learn by experience and become active agents in nation-building. Museo Pambata is committed to redefining its spaces for the 21st-century Filipino child, collaborating with kids and youth consultants to foster innovation. Its mission is to inspire Filipino children to discover themselves, their community, and their environment, with a vision to be the premier museum celebrating Filipino childhood.

Location and Features

Located in the Ermita district of Manila, near Rizal Park, Museo Pambata resides in the historic Elks Club Building, constructed in 1910 along Roxas Boulevard. The museum features hands-on exhibits designed to encourage children to explore concepts ranging from anatomy and career paths to science and the arts. Regular programs and events are also hosted for various age groups.

Founding and Recognition

Museo Pambata was the vision of Nina Lim Yuson, an early childhood educator inspired by the Boston Children's Museum. In March 1993, Yuson and her mother, Estefania Aldaba Lim, proposed the museum to Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, who approved the use of the Elks Club Building. The museum officially opened on December 21, 1994. Museo Pambata received a Special Commendation from the Children's Museum Award in Bologna, Italy, in March 2012 for inspiring new children's museums in the Philippines and Asia. After temporarily closing during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, it reopened on December 6, 2024, with new and refurbished exhibits, celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Theme Rooms and Programs

Museo Pambata features eight theme rooms, including Kalikasan (Environment) and Karagatan (Under the Sea), Maynila Noon (Old Manila), Paglaki Ko (Career Options), I Love My Planet Earth, Pamilihang Bayan (Marketplace), Katawan Ko (My Body Works), Bata sa Mundo (Children in the Global Village), and Tuklas (Discovery). The museum also includes a children’s library, changing exhibits hall, gift shop, event venues, and a playground. Educational programs are anchored on children’s rights, with activities focused on education, health, and recreation hosted in the Karapatan Hall. Past projects include the Rights of the Child Awareness Tournament and Mag ROCK Tayo. The Mobile Library Program, started in 1995, is a reading campaign for economically disadvantaged children in Manila, bringing books and learning materials to various communities.