Forest Foundation Philippines and the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) are bringing the museum experience closer to communities in the Sierra Madre through the launch of the Mobile Museum Boxes in a Bus, an initiative that brings biodiversity, science, and environmental education beyond traditional museum spaces.
The initiative aims to give communities, particularly young learners, opportunities to discover and appreciate the natural and cultural heritage of the Sierra Madre through a traveling exhibition. By bringing museum collections and science communication directly to communities, the project seeks to make knowledge about biodiversity and conservation more accessible and engaging.
Bringing the Museum to the Sierra Madre
The Mobile Museum Boxes in a Bus builds on the shared experience of Forest Foundation and the NMP in bringing science and environmental knowledge closer to the public. The original Mobile Museum Boxes documented the rich biodiversity of the Visayas and was exhibited in various museums and academic institutions across the region. The project reached more than 10,000 people, particularly young students, providing them with opportunities to learn about biodiversity through museum-based exhibits.
With the Mobile Museum Boxes in a Bus, this concept is brought further into the Sierra Madre, creating a traveling learning space where communities can engage with the region’s natural heritage. The initiative is more than a traveling exhibition. It brings together research, biodiversity, education, and community engagement, creating opportunities for visitors to discover and rediscover the Sierra Madre and develop a deeper appreciation of its natural ecosystems.
Building on a Partnership for Science and Conservation
The initiative builds on a longstanding partnership between Forest Foundation and the NMP that began in 2019. Over the years, the two institutions have collaborated on projects that communicate the importance of science and biodiversity to the public.
The collaboration supported Tuklas Kalikasan, a program that brings communities together to learn about the National Museum’s work in taxonomy, geology, and environmental conservation. Tuklas Kalikasan Eastern Samar documented the province’s cultural and natural heritage while drawing on local and traditional knowledge to enrich public understanding of forests. In 2023, the partnership continued through Tuklas Kalikasan Palawan, implemented with the Philippine Taxonomic Initiative. The initiative focused on the relatively unexplored ecosystems and localities of the Mt. Victoria-Anepahan Mountain Range (VAMR), particularly in Barangay Estrella, Narra, Palawan. It contributed to an initial inventory of the area’s biodiversity and brought together participants for a week-long seminar-workshop covering field techniques such as flora documentation, aquatic fauna collection, and rock sample collection.
Bringing Knowledge Closer to Communities
The Mobile Museum Boxes in a Bus reflects the organizations’ shared commitment to making scientific knowledge more accessible and meaningful to the public. By bringing museum-based learning directly to communities, the initiative creates opportunities for people to better understand the landscapes and ecosystems around them. The collaboration will continue to explore ways of communicating action-oriented research results creatively and cultivating learning spaces that strengthen knowledge and capabilities for conservation.
As the Mobile Museum Boxes make their way through the Sierra Madre, the initiative hopes to create more opportunities for communities, especially young people, to learn about, take pride in, and appreciate the region’s natural heritage, while strengthening the connection between knowledge and conservation action.
This new project is made possible through the collaboration of Forest Foundation, NMP, local government
partners, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Mabuwaya Foundation, and other partners.
