A GLOBE as large as a small room spins as you enter the Exploreum in SM Mall of Asia. It appears to be levitating, but it is actually suspended from the ceiling. During a press conference on March 6, the globe showed an image of the earth as it is seen from space.

The globe, called Science on a Sphere (SOS), is one of the new attractions in the science museum. The SOS was developed in 2000 by the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which describes it as a “global display system that uses computers and video projectors to display planetary data onto a six foot diameter sphere, analogous to a giant animated globe. This data includes everything from real-time atmospheric conditions, to climate change effects, to air traffic. Moreover, it is pretty — guests were visibly and audibly awed when a projection showing spectral images of the earth reflecting temperatures changed to images of the glowing Sun, to the barren surface of Mars, to the volatile one of Venus.

The museum also modified its former planetarium, now called the Dome Theater. This was to diversify the exhibit’s use, so even films unrelated to space may now be shown there. According to a press release, the Dome Theater boasts of a 180-degree digital screen and “an advanced audio-visual system.”

The museum also modified its other exhibits, namely: The Natural World (zoology and botany), Zoom (transportation), The Human Adventure (anatomy), Connect (communications technology), Science Park and Laboratory, Cyberville (technology and computers), The Living Earth (geology), Space Camp, and the Discovery Room. The exhibits now have more bits of information posted on the walls and have added attractions.

During the press conference, children were invited on stage to perform experiments on their own. The tots plopped dry ice into colored water to create smoke, while the colored water seemed to boil. Another experiment involved making a giant soap bubble (about as big as a birthday cake), and the audience, with bated breath, waited for it to pop. This was to introduce the Exploreum’s activity for children this summer, a Science Camp for children ages four to 12, from May 8 to May 10. The camp is marine-themed from this year, so the kids will have an activity that includes the Mall of Asia’s bay area.

“Later on, it might go to other subjects,” said Aleli Cruz, assistant vice-president of Educational Leisure Centers, under SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc.

The museum will also hold a Science Quiz Bee beginning July this year, and will run until February 2016. Public and private schools may participate in the quiz bee, and prizes will be awarded to weekly, monthly, and quarterly winners. The winning team may take home a prize of P1 million.

“We want all the activities to be fun. Gone are the days during our time when you just read books and listen to discussions. Here in Exploreum, eve-rything is interactive,” Ms. Cruz said.

The Exploreum is located at SM Mall of Asia, with a second branch at SM Lanang Premiere. Admission rates range from P150 (for a Dome Theater show), to P250 (for the museum tour), and P350 (for a Dome Theater Showing and a museum tour). Group tours may also be accommodated. For more information, visit www.exploreum.ph.