More than 650 school children from the Lopez Elementary School’s grade levels 4 to 6, accompanied by their teachers, were able to get complimentary tours last 28-29 September at the Museum of Natural History. The free museum tour was a community service initiative of the Museum as part of its 40th Anniversary Celebrations.

MNH curators and staff, led by Prof. Annalee S. Hadsall, chair of the anniversary committee on Museum Tours, volunteered as guides and resource persons for the two-day event. On the other hand, teacher-chaperones from the Lopez Elementary School were organized by faculty and Science Coordinator Ms. Echel Tamayo.

Aside from the free tours, the Museum also held two screenings of the documentary film “Birds of Paradise Lost” for 80 selected pupils of Lopez Elementary School. The 1998 film shows the difficult future of Philippine birds due to the destruction of their forest habitats and wildlife trade.

The tours were also made extra special by the participation of “Goryo”, the Smart Communities mascot, who entertained the kids during the tour. Smart Communities is PLDT-SMART’s platform to engage with the public on its programs to empower communities in the areas of disaster preparedness, education, environment, health, and livelihood.