MANILA, Philippines—Shopping, check. Food, check. Electronics, check. We don’t know why, but Singapore has an irresistible way of exciting the superficial senses. (It’s probably the clean, smog-free air, but that’s another story.) On the other hand, if you’re craving for something more stimulating for your brain cells, these remarkable establishments come highly recommended. I swear, educational tours have never been this fun.

Science Center

Will technological wonders never cease? High-tech hands-on learning, complete with breathtaking exhibits and demos enough to make Einstein’s head spin, makes the Science Center a must-visit for kids of all ages.

We had a blast tinkering with every interactive display to our heart’s content and, yes, we were actually allowed to touch them.

Other attractions to see are the Kinetic Garden, which blends science, nature and art in one breathtaking scenery, and the giant dome-shaped Omni-Theater, where you could enjoy stunning Imax viewing of feature films and documentaries.

Head off to the Curiosity gift shop for junk food, wacky toys and souvenir trinkets.

An eight-minute walk from the Jurong East Bus Interchange-MRT Station, the Science Center is open 10 a.m.-

6 p.m., while the Omni-Theater is open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. They’re closed on Mondays except during public holidays and school holidays. Entrance fee costs S$6 for adults and S$3 for kids.

Singapore Management University

Having firmly set my sights on the medical and journalism fields all my life, I’ve never really understood (or tried to understand) the inner workings of the business and management world. But during our visit to SMU, I found that what the school offers is interesting, even for someone who knows zilch about this side of the career spectrum.

Plus, the fact that I instantly fell in love with the gorgeous campus grounds and buildings, tempting me to reconsider a career shift. But just a little bit.

The university consists of six schools that offer six undergraduate and 10 master’s degree programs in the form of courses such as Economics, Business Management Information, even Law.

Students can even get a double major or a double degree with two double majors if they’re up to the challenge. According to Christina Leong, associate director of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, they even have tie-ups with top business schools Wharton and Carnegie for international student-exchange programs.

But before you start dropping not-so-subtle hints about studying abroad, you might want to keep a few things in mind. The whopping tuition will probably give your poor parents a heart attack, although it’s considerably less expensive than school fees in the US and Europe.

There’s the 50-percent subsidy being offered by the government to foreign students, but the condition is that they must work for at least three years in Singapore after graduation. Fair enough, if you ask me.

Due to the high cost of living, foreign students are forced to be more frugal and self-sufficient.

Some Filipino kids who are currently studying there shared humorous tales of their domestic conquests—“I actually learned how to cook more complicated food, like rice,” one student sheepishly admitted, amid laughter.

All things considered, this school is the closest you can get to quality education at par with the best business schools from all over.

SMU is located in the Bras Basah Park district with its six schools spread across the city campus. Visit www.smu.edu.sg.

National Museum of Singapore

Of course, what would an educational trip be without the requisite visit to the local museum?

Better brace yourselves, though, as the National Museum of Singapore is unlike any you’ve probably ever visited as kids.

Who would’ve guessed that, with its crisp white walls and architecture straight out of a sci-fi movie, it’s already 119 years old?

At the entrance, we were each given an electronic screen device with a headset that serves as our personal tour guide.

Every time we saw a display with an encircled number on the floor nearby, we were instructed to press the corresponding button on our screen, and voilà, the voice recording proceeded to tell the story behind it.

Also, our tickets served as e-passes that we needed to swipe in order to gain access to different areas. Gotta love technology.

Located at the corner of Fort Canning and Stamford Roads just across from SMU, the museum is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily for the Singapore History Gallery, and 10 a.m.-9 p.m daily for the Singapore Living Galleries, with free admission for the latter from 6 p.m.-

9 p.m.

Entrance fee is S$8 for adults and S$4 for children and senior citizens.

E-mail the author at avignacio@gmail.com