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Writer's pictureLesley E. Villanueva

Life Lessons from The Mind Museum


The Mind Museum will always have a special place in my heart. It was a groundbreaking project, to say the least, and when I was assigned to it more than 10 years ago, I could not foresee how much this project would change me.


It was my first project as “Project Manager,” – my first big break. All the other project managers at that time were in-charge of bigger and higher structures. Since it was a small project (in terms of square meter coverage), my project team was also very small and was mostly composed of young Engineers and Architects. But regardless of how young we were at that time, and how sparse our team was, it was not indicative of our expansive capacity to learn.


What I learned from this whole experience is that when you are working as a team, educational background, level of knowledge and skill, or tenure do not matter because you help each other out; your team members help fill in the gaps. There is always something that you do not know how to do or something you are not familiar with – you should not be ashamed of that, but rather, strive to learn from the people around you.


My biggest take-away, and my fondest memory of this project, was the fun we experienced while working. The Mind Museum team (from Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc.) was very memorable to work with. Usually, when dealing with clients, it can get very intimidating, but with the BAFI team, the experience was like being in summer camp – we were learning from them, and they were also learning from us. It was a fun exchange of ideas, ideals, and memories.

And what wonderful memories I had at The Mind Museum!

It was here where I met my “idols” – Jaime Zobel De Ayala, Architect Lor Calma and Architect Ed Calma – pioneers in their respective fields, and icons of innovation.


Our team was the first to experience the exhibits within the museum because we were there while they were being installed! Much more than that, we also had some interaction with the exhibit creators and artists themselves. Such a unique treat.



Even after construction was completed, The Mind Museum still found its way into my most extraordinary experiences.

This was where my then-boyfriend-now-husband asked for my hand in marriage. He got all of our friends, my family, my project team, and even BAFI in on the secret. There was no better, more visually interesting backdrop for this momentous event.


I also brought my daughter, Adelle, to the museum during DATEM Homes’ Family Day – she was barely a year old, and she was able to experience the “Dinosaurs Around the World” exhibit at that time!


My daughter also had one of her first pre-school field trips at the museum, with her ICBB classmates. She had fun exploring the museum with her inquisitive 3-year-old mind.


The best thing about being a partner of an art and science organization is that it helps shape your heart and mind. The Mind Museum will forever be etched in my heart – because of the memorable events that transpired within its walls, and because of the lessons, I learned about life, love, friendship, and teamwork.


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