1.

National Museum of Fine Arts

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Part of the National Museum of the Philippines, the National Museum of Fine Arts is not
just your ordinary museum. It is an educational, cultural, and scientific body. It acquires,
documents, preserves, exhibits, and promotes academic studies that show the uniqueness of
the cultural legacy of the Filipinos, and the country’s natural history all at the same time.

Historical masterpieces by the Philippines’ foremost artists constantly on display at the

National Museum of Fine Arts include the Spoliarium by Juan Luna, The Burning of
Manila by Fernando Amorsolo, The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines by Carlos
“Botong” Francisco, A Tragic Lesson (The Fall of Bataan) by Gene Cabrera, Planting of the
First Cross by Vicente S. Manansala, and Noli Me Tangere by Leonardo Cruz. These
paintings vividly depict the significant events in the Philippines, therefore, making these a
must-see.
2. National Museum of Anthropology

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Another branch of the National Museum, the National Museum of Anthropology carries out
scientific analysis regarding the economic, ethnological, linguistic, paleoanthropological, and
anthropological aspects of the Filipino people. Historians and researchers conducted these
studies to reinforce the development and conservation of physical and natural sciences in the
Philippines.

Unlike its parent museum, which houses paintings, this museum collects and displays
culturally significant materials from all over the country. The museum is home to around
10,000 cultural artefacts to date, such as the Ifugao kinuttiyan, a woven cotton blanket used to
cover the corpse of an Ifugao tribe member after death, and the ancient Filipino syllabic
writings called “baybayin” etched on bamboo. It also includes the Butuan Ivory Seal, used in
trading between the 9th–12th century AD, and the Golden Death Mask which dates back to
the late 14th to early 15th century AD. It was found in San Antonio, Oton, Iloilo, in Central
Philippines.
3. National Museum of Natural History

Image credit: Department of Tourism, Culture, and Arts Manila Official Facebook Page

Housing 12 permanent exhibitions, the National Museum of Natural History showcases the
Philippines’ rich biological and geological diversity. Here, visitors can marvel at curations of
unique botanical specimens and intricate zoological artefacts. However, the museum’s most
striking feature has to be its Tree of Life centre — a physical and metaphorical structure
symbolising the connectedness of all ecosystems in the Philippines.

The National Museum of Natural History opened its doors to the public in 2017, making it
the newest addition to the national museums in the Philippines. Before fully renovating it into
a museum, the building was used as the main office for the Department of Tourism until
2015.
4. Pinto Art Museum

Image credit: Pinto Art Museum Official Website

Tucked away in the Philippine’s historic pilgrimage city of Antipolo is the famous Pinto Art
Museum. A gateway to the country’s contemporary art scene, it welcomes both art
enthusiasts and curious sightseers alike. Here, you’ll find artworks influenced by Philippine
culture and the overall human experience.

Pinto’s distinctive white walls and Cycladic architecture is reminiscent of Santorini, Greece.
Apart from offering a picturesque escape where art abounds, it also houses a cafe where
visitors can relax and indulge in yummy eats. Indeed, an ideal stop on your
5.Ayala Museum

Image credit: Ayala Museum

Are you looking for a place to hang out and get lost in contemporary art? The Ayala
Museum at the centre of Makati is a perfect place for you. Aside from a countless number of
contemporary art highlighting the country’s historic milestones, you can also have a glimpse
of rare books, photographs, and recordings courtesy of Filipinas Heritage Library, a one-stop
electronic research centre for Philippine history, art, language, social sciences, and culture.

One of its notable archaeological artefact exhibits is the Gold of Ancestors: Pre-Colonial
Treasures in the Philippines. This is a collection of over a thousand aptly named gold items
highlighting Filipino culture before colonial times. You can also find A Millenium of
Contact, a huge selection of trade ceramic collections from Southeast Asia and China.
6. Aguinaldo Shrine and Museum

Image credit: NHCP

The Aguinaldo Shrine and Museum in Kawit, Cavite is a special place. It was the home of
the first president of the Republic of the Philippines. The first official Philippine flag was
raised here on 12 June 1898 during the Philippines’ Declaration of Independence from its
Spanish colonisers. Locals of Kawit also ceremonially raise the Philippine flag in this shrine
every year to commemorate the historical event. The shrine and museum have already
undergone significant renovations to fully preserve its historical relics such as Emilio
Aguinaldo’s personal memorabilia, flags, and other emblems.
7. Casa Manila

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Do you want to have a glimpse of the lifestyle of wealthy Filipinos during the Spanish
colonial times? Then go to Casa Manila Museum in Intramuros, a heritage house turned
into one of the most iconic museums in the Philippines.

Casa Manila lets us see what life was like for Filipinos, especially those living in Manila, at
the time when the Philippines was still being ruled by the Spaniards. Its wide array of
exhibits includes antique furniture, cooling implements, cooking sets, and works of art
typically found in the houses of affluent Filipinos.
8. Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Image credit: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

This is another place in the Philippines where you can literally travel back in time. Las Casas
Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan is an open-air museum where you can have a glimpse
of what well-off Filipino houses looked like during colonial times.

The houses, complete with their antique furniture and fixtures, were painstakingly
reconstructed to their past glories. More than 50 Antillean houses can be found at the place to
date, some of which were delicately transferred from their original locations to make
preservation efforts manageable.
9. The University of Sto. Tomas Museum of Arts and Sciences

Image credit: UST Museum

The University of Sto. Tomas Museum of Arts and Sciences is one of the oldest existing
museums in the Philippines. It houses both scientific and artistic artefacts. Works of art
displayed in its galleries include works of renowned Filipino artists, such as Fernando
Amorsolo, Carlos Francisco, Vicente Manansala, and Galo Ocampo. The museum also has
permanent displays of natural history specimens, oriental art, Philippine pious images,
medals, coins, and historical memorabilia. The paintings displayed at the museum range from
the 17th to the 20th century.
10. Balay Negrense Museum

Image credit: Elmer B. Domingo

This heritage house-turned-museum reflects the life of a 19th-century sugar baron right at the
heart of the place where sugar is synonymous with the name of the place itself – Negros.
Located in Silay City, Negros Occidental, it is regarded as the first museum in the land of
sugar. You will come across architectural artefacts, such as antique furniture and sculptures,
rare books, a Filipiniana dress, and kitchen utensils, which are also the main attractions of the
house.