Melo Villareal
Finally, Philippines are all set to have a Natural History Museum in their land. According to the online version of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Department of Tourism building will soon be converted to a Museum of Natural History. This is the third museum in the country which shall turn Manila’s Museum Precinct.
Philippine Museum of Natural History (Photo from Inquirer.net)
What’s in place?
The new National Gallery of Art is one which anchors the patrol. The earlier Senate Building on Burgos Drive has now turned to a museum where a decisive collection of paintings is on display. Once the Department of Finance, the building now is retrofitted into a Museum, of Filipino people who’s bending facades frame Agrifina Circle.
Across the Agrifinia circle is the twin structure of DOT building, which originally housed the Department of Agriculture. Visitors can find three heritage buildings, all built in Neo-classical style. These buildings date from the colonial era of pre-World War-II, which features an elegant cluster of architecture on the Rizal Park’s eastern end along Taft Avenue.
No doubt, once completed, the magnificent structure, will develop as one of the biggest open-air spaces, in else congested Manila. Manila, invited five world-class architects to submit the designs for its museum complex. The board of Trustees then handed over the project to a team of architect Dominic Galicia and Tina Periquet, the interior designer.
A Scheme for Galicia
DNA not only unites humans, but also museums and architectures under Galicia scheme. A stereotype of the DNA humans’ share, a double-helix structure, made up of steel, is a glass dome that covers the central courtyard of the building.
A double-helix DNA remains the central focus of the Galicia scheme which is on its best to unite nature and art. There are six-levels of Gallery and office spaces, designed beautifully and opening up to some floors to enter into double-height rooms. Interior spaces are also being renovated which once best suited the Department of Tourism’s needs.
Facades of the building remain untouched by the artists and it is seen that they place high on respect, Antonio Toledo, the architect who designed the building in 1930s. The Museum is will be the fruit of a communal effort and no doubt, it is seen in the work.
The Museum has in place a group of Cultural solutions, a consultant group led by Chuck Sutyla, a leader who had designed a number of museum across Middle East, Asia, America and specifically mentioning, the Museum of Filipino people in Manila.
The Staff of the Museum, who belong to the Filipino scientific community and the people who belong to the NGOs of natural heritage are holding regular meetings to conceptualize the museum, enabling works and deciding on the directions the exhibits may take. The committee is also discussing well on the educational benefits that the museum will present to its visitors.
Forget Stuffy Museums
It is now time to forget the days of stuffy museum complexes, this is 21st century and museums today are extra-ordinary, best knowledge houses, fascinating and what not!! Museum of Natural History intends to be one like that. Now, the world travelers can pack their bags to take a look at the beautiful museum once it is ready.
