It’s summertime! I know everyone’s excited to go out of town but we are going farther away. Our first stop – outer space!

We recently visited the National Planetarium Museum and you may want to check them out too while admissions are still FREE! Their shows are open to everyone (5 years old and above) ‪until May 31, 2017 and it’s a great summer activity for the whole family.

This reminds me a lot of my elementary days where we lined up to get inside an inflated dome and we were all amazed because it felt like we were right under the stars.

It was such a beautiful memory; I was probably more excited than Mia to experience it again!

When I called the museum to ask which show is for kids, they said it’s A Planet for Goldilocks, so we immediately invited our neighbors and scheduled our mini field trip.

We went on a weekend and we arrived an HOUR early. Yay!

SCHEDULE OF SHOWS

 

Unfortunately though, the line was already too long when we got there. And they only admit 200 pax per show. If my estimate was right, we were probably 250th in line. ?

It was really disappointing, so we just thought of going home but the kids insisted on staying. They were really intrigued to see what’s inside the igloo (the dome) and said they wouldn’t mind watching a different show. After all, it was quite a long trip from our place to Luneta and it would really be a waste if we went there for nothing.

So we waited for the next show, Journey To A Billion Suns.

We had a lot of time to kill and good thing the kids instantly found something to keep themselves busy.

     

(learning how to play piko)

After 2 hours in line, they opened the doors and let people in.

Woohoo! Finally!

We were asked to leave all our belongings (including cellphones) at the counter as only wallets can be brought inside.

It was such a relief to be seated. Aircon at last! LOL

When the show started, the kids were so thrilled and we were all in AWE!

It was as if the stars were zooming down us and it was like getting sucked into the universe.

Mia said, “This is so great, Mom!”

I have to agree, it was AMAZING!

It’s not everyday you get to be surrounded by a 360° projection of stars and celestial bodies.

The only unhappy thing about it was –

It was very short.

When it was done, we all wanted MORE.

It only lasted 30 minutes and I wish it were at least an hour.

The time we spent waiting in line was even longer than the time we spent sitting down inside the dome. LOL.

Well, I guess that’s how it really is with free shows.

In the end, we’re still glad we went.

It was a grand astronomical experience to be in outer space.

As Mia puts it,

It’s like we are in our imagination! It’s like being in a dream. We are flying!

Makes me want to schedule another trip to watch A Planet for Goldilocks as I really think the kids would enjoy that more.

I hope we can still find the time.. and the energy.. to go and wake up early. LOL

Lucky for those who live in Manila area. Less travel time for you guys.

 

Some friendly tips:

1. To avoid the long lines, go on a weekday or catch the ‪9am show. We were told there are less people in the morning and the museum often has empty seats. Had I known, we would have woken up early to avoid the hassle.

2. Bring an umbrella, a fan, a hanky, and some extra shirts for the kids. It’s hot in the waiting area.

3. There are vendors right outside the gate selling cold drinks and snacks. But if you want a heavier meal, the building next to Rizal’s monument has 7-Eleven, Papa John’s Pizza, and Chowking. There’s also Jollibee along Kalaw but that’s a much longer walk.

4. When the show ends, head out fast. There would be 200 of you claiming your phones and bags.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post. More summer activities coming soon.

If you need more info, visit their Facebook page: National Museum Planetarium or call (02) 5277889.

Don’t forget to share this to your friends!