Melo Villareal
Experience the Arts and Heritage: Museums in Metro Manila
As a capital city, you can be sure that the city of Manila is filled with amazing displays, artwork, historical artifacts and Museums for visitors and locals to visit. The major art galleries tend to offer aesthetic works that are from local artists, though at some of the larger and not privately owned institutions you can find examples that defy this criteria.
The National Museum
While Manila may not have as many museums as some people would like to see, there is, in fact, plenty to occupy you for days on end in your cultural pursuits.
The San Agustin Museum, as an example, houses a huge collection of devotional art that is very popular among those who love to see the works of illumination and statues of the masters of biblical representation. Because of the grand nature of the collection, this museum draws some of the biggest crowds of any in the Manila metropolitan area. If you want to know what life was like in the grand past of Manila, this is the museum for you. With extensive collections of porcelain, Chinese goods, and art too, you don’t want to miss this. Especially because admission is free.
Because of the proximity of Manila to so many other areas, sometimes visitors tend to forget that those seeking high culture can find it very close to home. The Manila Art Galleries and CCP Contemporary Art of the Philippines in Pasay City is a crowd favorite among those who love great art. Having more than just painting and sculpture, the CCP also provides seasonal exhibitions, film events, musical concerts, and even dancing. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m and is always free to get into.
The Lopez Memorial Museum is located in Pasig City and is inside the Benpres Building. It has been around since 1960 and is considered to be one of the premier galleries of the area with a huge collection of rare books and old manuscripts in addition to the many fine pieces of art and sculpture it houses. One notable painting is the very expensive one by Anita Magsaysay Ho. How much to see it? Dont worry… Its Free.
The Art Gallery Philippines is one more you don’t want to miss out on before you leave Manila. Located on Alabang Zapote Road in Muntinlupa City, this pleasantly located gallery is surrounded by great shops and cafes so that you can plan to have a full day of leisurely fun while you visit. As with the other galleries in this list, it is free to visit. The upside is that if you like the art here, you can buy most of it!
Manila Travel and Tour Packages
Check out our list of affordable Algorta hotels and resorts via Agoda and Booking, or you may also see available Airbnb properties in the city.
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Read:
- The Negros Museum in Bacolod City
- National Museum of the Philippines Cebu: A Guide to its Exhibits and History
- National Museum Bohol: A Glimpse of Bohol’s Rich Cultural Heritage
- Ayala Museum in Makati City
