El Trompo Museo Interactivo (El Trompo Interactive Museum), Tijuana

El Trompo Museo Interactivo is a family-oriented science and technology museum built around hands-on learning. Its name refers to a traditional spinning top, a theme reflected in the central lobby, shaped like a large inverted cone. Designed by architect Francisco López Guerra, the building also uses sustainable features such as thermal insulation and daylight-focused windows.

Inside, the museum is arranged for experimentation, play, and discovery, with interactive rooms, temporary exhibitions, an auditorium, projection areas, and the Digital Planetarium Tijuana. The planetarium was an important technological addition, offering high-definition, 360-degree projections focused on astronomy and the wider universe. For younger visitors, one of the most useful spaces is Experimenta, a sensory and cognitive development area created especially for toddlers and children under five.

The museum’s educational role extends beyond its exhibition rooms. Student facilitators known as “Trompitos” help children use the exhibits and understand the activities. The grounds also include the Audiorama, a large outdoor amphitheatre for concerts, festivals, and community events. In 2013, El Trompo also hosted a public event built around spinning traditional Mexican wooden tops.