International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), founded in 1960, is the world's leading rice research centre. The campus is adjacent to the UPLB campus and is open to visitors. The main attraction for visitors is the Rice World Museum, which traces the history of rice cultivation from ancient times to the present and displays the scientific breakthroughs that have shaped global food security.

The museum covers rice biology, traditional cultivation techniques, the breeding work that produced high-yield varieties, and the current challenges of climate change and food security. It's informative and well-designed, aimed at both specialists and general visitors. Tours of the seed bank and research facilities can be arranged by appointment. Entry to the Rice World Museum is free.

things to do museum science
A story
IRRI developed IR8, the "miracle rice" variety released in 1966 that is credited with averting famine across Asia. IR8 doubled or tripled rice yields in most tropical countries and triggered the Green Revolution in Asia. The institute still maintains the world's largest rice gene bank, with over 130,000 rice varieties from around the world stored in its cold storage facility — a seed library for the planet's primary staple crop.