Angara leading the grand opening of MindSpark in Paranaque City on Aug 12, 2025. - Department of Education.
MANILA: It’s like “Disneyland” for students fond of science. That was how Philippine Education Secretary Juan Edgardo 'Sonny' Angara described the newly opened MindSpark, which he said is the country’s largest science museum.
Leading the museum’s grand opening on Tuesday (Aug 12), Angara expressed hopes of fostering greater curiosity and understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
MindSpark, a 9,000-square-metre facility at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Paranaque City, will feature more than 100 interactive exhibits and 30 themed rooms dedicated to STEM, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).
Organised by the Philippine Amusement and Entertainment Corp. (PAEC), the museum aims to serve as an “extension” of classrooms and provide a “simulated environment” for learners at all levels.
PAEC is regarded as the country’s largest creator and operator of educational and interactive indoor attractions, including the Food Wanderer x Lakbay Museo in Parañaque, Museum of Emotions in Cebu, Craft Academy, and Omniverse Museum, among others.
“I am happy because this helps in the education of our youth, and anything that helps that, we support it,” Angara said in his keynote speech.
“We have very rare museums, and many times I hear my friends complain, ‘where do we take our kids on weekends?’ There are no open spaces, there are very few things which enhance the mind, but now, we are seeing a renaissance,” he added.
Angara also stressed that “it’s time we put the right things in the minds of our children,” noting the growing negative influence on young people, particularly from online sources.
The opening of the new science museum also aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent State of the Nation Address, in which he said the government should “reap the benefits” of science and technology.
“This is not just a commercial exercise, but for me, this is also an exercise of nation-building,” Angara said.
Among the museum’s attractions are a giant walkthrough of the human heart, a real-life hospital laboratory, anatomy displays, a moving depiction of an insect’s life cycle, and interactive zones on bubble science, robotics, artificial intelligence, fire safety, engineering design, and gemology.
“We all know that even the smallest spark, whether from a simple experiment in a classroom, can inspire a student to have a Filipino-made invention that can even change the world,” Angara said.
He also urged teachers to have MindSpark as a “go-to venue” for exposure trips.
“For museums like this one, we can give our youth a direction to change and more ways for innovation not just inside their schools, but also through the community,” Angara said. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
