National Planetarium's Galactic Adventure in Rizal Park
I always wonder why there aren't much to do in Metro Manila, more so in Manila itself. However, after our recent visit in Planetarium, I realized that I just didn't explore enough.
Planetarium is an annex of National Museum catering to those who want to learn about or appreciate the space. School kids often take a field trip here because the gallery and the show can spark interest among the youth in pursuing Science or perhaps more specific fields related to space. However, even for adults, this may give an inexplicable feeling of joy as you journey your way inside the gallery, and most importantly, get a slot for the show.
The Planetarium Galactic Shows
Inside the museum is a dome-like theater that houses a special projector. It spins off lights flashed upward the ceiling, giving a 360 degree view of an image or film. It could either be a city view or more excitingly the space. It's an immersive experience, similar to a VR but more vast and without the need of a head gear.
Although it was my second time to watch a show here in Planetarium, it was a first as an adult. And I'll be honest, I was "blown away". Call me shallow, but that's how I felt. Right then, I realized that Manila can be underrated when it comes to tourism.
Planetarium show details
The shows run from Tuesday to Sunday. There are five (5) time slots for those days, except for Sunday which only has 2. For the schedules of the shows, you may want to check out Planetarium's official website.
Each show runs for 30 minutes, and there are currently three options to choose from. Though, you need to check the schedule, because the Planetarium chooses the shows in advance on particular time slots.
By the way, bags and gadgets are not allowed inside the dome. You may deposit them in the counter right before the entrance. You may get your phones or cameras after, but keep the bags deposited because they are still not allowed in the viewing section of the museum.
After the show, you can browse around the gallery which if you won't take photos and won't read much, will only take about 15 minutes to tour. However, if you'll be taking photos around, you may need about 1 hour to fully maximize the your tour.
Of course, feel free to read through the texts. These are the true essence of a museum. You'll be learning about the space, and at the same time some information about our ancestors and how they dealt with science.
There is also this part of the viewing gallery that shows some tools used by our ancestors in traveling, gathering, hunting, etc.
Since we are in an era where people are obsessed about curating IG stories/photos, most museum-goers use the galactic images as backdrop for photos. I won't be a hypocrite, we did it too. A lot.
Here are some of the shots we took.
We also took a group shot as our "class photo". It took us a while to set up the camera, so we got hungry even more.
Now, that basically concludes our museum experience. To know more about our activities after, please check my post -- Hobby Day No. 3 - Planetarium and DLSU Food Trip.
National Planetarium Quick Guide
Things to see/do: Watch the show, and take a tour in the gallery.
Budget needed: P50 each for the show
Is it wander-worthy? It may not be as "wander-worthy", but it still brings pleasure especially the show. If you are into portrait photography, you may enjoy the backdrops in the gallery.
How to get there: You may take the LRT going to United Nations (UN) Station, and walk from there. For those riding the Jeepney, you can ask to be dropped in Rizal Park, and walk towards National Planetarium.
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