Inside National Museum of the Philippines

Free admission to National Museum of the Philippines, there was no more excuse for me not to visit the most significant museum in the country. The timing was also perfect that I had a free weekend to see the museum. I invited my friends if they would like to go as well and good thing they were interested. Together with some of my travel blogger friends, we went to the museum one Sunday of June and explored the halls of the museum that houses the artistry and history that are vital to the country.

The National Museum of the Philippines features significant people, culture, history and artistry of the country from the early period to the modern times. It houses vast and varied collections of preserves, exhibits, work of art and historical artefacts that are fundamental to the cultural heritage and natural history of the Philippines.

The museum has four buildings but it was only the National Art Gallery that we had able to check out. One needs a whole day or more to fully see each of the buildings. The main hall of the National Art Gallery houses the historical painting by Filipino artist Juan Luna, the Spoliarium. It was one of my favorite parts of the museum, which left our group for like half an hour just to have a great photo with the historical painting. The building also has several galleries that houses historical collections, paintings and sculptures. The exhibits features works of art from early centuries to modern and contemporary.

Every gallery in the museum is distinctive. Each has its own theme. There’s a gallery dedicated to our national hero, Jose Rizal and his works. There’s a gallery that features several sculptures. There’s a gallery that houses art prints, religious themed arts and installations.

After exploring some of the galleries at the ground floor, we moved to the topmost level – and there we found the most photographic part of the museum, the spiral staircase.

The Old Senate Session Hall is also can be found inside the building of National Art Gallery. The hall was said to be home to members of the Philippine Senate from 1926 to 1996. This historic venue had been a silent witness as senators from different periods debated and charted the future of the country.

We went to the remaining levels of the building and there we discovered some other interesting galleries that features contemporary art and pillars of Philippine modernism. Important paintings from famous Filipino artists are also available inside the museum. We were able to see paintings and sculptures from different National Artists. We also visited a gallery that showcases the work of a group of artists-friends who painted and spoke of art together in Dimasalang Street in Manila.

The time that we had wasn’t enough to completely see the tons of national treasures, exhibits and artworks that the National Museum has. I guess it was an excuse for us to go back and check out the other parts of the museum that displays important treasures and collections.

My visit to the National Museum of the Philippines opened my mind to appreciate more the works of art, culture and history that are vital to our country and society. I’m not really a fan of museum but after visiting the national museum, which is by far the largest museum that I’ve been to made me interested to learn more of our country’s heritage and historical artworks.

The National Museum is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with free admission on Sundays.

Entrance Fees: Museum of the Filipino People and National Art Gallery (also includes visit to exhibits of the National Planetarium.)
Student: PHP 50.00
Senior Citizen: PHP 120.00
Adult: PHP 150.00