Cover Pinto Art Museum (Photo: Jove Moya)
Pinto Art Museum (Photo: Jove Moya)
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Immerse in art, culture, and history this National Heritage Month! These museums are open and ready to indulge you on International Museum Day 2024
Around the world, people celebrate International Museum Day every May 18 to highlight the importance of preserving and appreciating art and history for societal development. Initiated in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the event annually centres around a theme that underscores a significant aspect of museums. This year, all participating nations and museums will focus on Museums for Education and Research, emphasising the “pivotal role of cultural institutions in providing a holistic educational experience”.
“Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples,” ICOM said in its statement.
The Philippines has museums and exhibitions that the general public can explore. Read on to learn more about them:
In case you missed it: 3 cultural hubs to visit around the metro: Everything’s Fine, Spruce Gallery, and Cartellino’s physical space
1. Manila Clock Tower
The Manila Clock Tower, designed by Antonio Toledo, was once regarded as the tallest clock tower in the Philippines during the 1930s. Nestled on the fourth floor of this architectural wonder is a museum that houses historical items from the Second World War.
Among the other attractions at this site are works by local artists such as Janet Arbolleda Ballecer, Cris “Krishnamurti” Villanueva, and others.
People can visit the place from Tuesdays to Fridays from 10am to 3pm.
2. NCHP Presidential Car Museum
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines’ (NHCP) Presidential Car Museum in Quezon City is home to the automobiles that were used to ferry the former presidents of the Philippines. Deemed the largest collection of historic state cars in the country, the museum showcases special historic cars such as a turn-of-the-century carriage and a World War II-era jeepney.
This month, the museum, in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), will hold a local history workshop for teachers in Metro Manila. “The workshop aims to capacitate DepEd educators on the value and application of local history and heritage work in their essential role as teachers of the next generation.”
In addition to its month-long activities, this museum boasts an audiovisual room, an interactive Wall Alive feature, a resource centre on Philippine history, a multi-purpose area, and a souvenir shop.
Guests are allowed to come in from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 8am to 4pm.
3. Yuchengco Museum
Along Ayala Avenue, Makati City is the Yuchengco Museum, which has been open since September 2005. The place is home to highly-regarded pieces, including Ang Kiukok’s 1988 masterpiece Seated Male Nude, Carlos “Botong” Francisco’s Courtship Ritual, Juan Luna’s 1893 Robert Steel Mill, and more.
This month, visitors can also get a glimpse of exhibitions such as Shared Journey: 60 Years of EU-PH Diplomatic Relations, which shows “the rich tapestry of diplomatic achievements and cultural milestones” shared by the European Union and the Philippines.
The museum’s primary goal is to encourage public appreciation of art through its local, cultural, historical, and design exhibits and programs. Located in Makati, the Yuchengco Museum welcomes every guest for free from May 17 to 18.
More from Tatler: Why the Audemars Piguet museum is a must-visit destination
4. AIMS Museo Maritimo
Above AIMS Museo Maritimo (Photo: AIMS Museo Maritimo/Facebook)
AIMS Museo Maritimo (Photo: AIMS Museo Maritimo/Facebook)
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AIMS Museo Maritimo by the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies (AIMS), in collaboration with Hiniraya Cultural Heritage Foundation and ICOM, is the Philippines’ first maritime-themed museum.
It showcases imaginative exhibitions and displays that involve seafaring, training, and manning history. The museum serves as a repository for valuable collections of ships, models, and other nautical artefacts. Besides highlighting the basics of seafaring, the museum participates in nation-building and knowledge generation by conducting quality research, conferences, seminars, and lectures that will make everyone conscious of maritime past, present, and future.
For International Museum Day, the AIMS Museo Maritimo, located at Arnaiz Avenue, corner Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, will be open for free from May 16 until 18.
5. Ateneo Art Gallery
Ateneo Art Gallery in Katipunan, Quezon City, has been around since 1960. Today, it is widely recognised as the first museum of Filipino Modern Art. The university museum, now located at the Areté, Ateneo de Manila University’s Creativity and Innovation Hub, features works from Mark Salvatus, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Cid Reyes, Gus Albor, and more.
For the International Museum Day event, the gallery will host ArtSpeaks: An Artist’s Conversation with a Physicist and a Philosopher with Mark Orozco Justiniani, Fr Jett Villarin, SJ, and Dr Remmon Barbaza.
It will also feature a second talk about writing with Eileen Legaspi Ramirez, Mariah Reodica, Jay Rosas, Nicole Soriano Lao, and moderated by Lisa Ito-Tapang.
These events will be open to the public for free on May 16 and 18, respectively.
Related: Herstory of Kasibulan, a sisterhood of women artists
6. Ayala Museum
Ayala Museum, which has existed since April 1967, focuses on six main areas: archaeology, ethnography, history, fine arts, numismatics, and ecclesiology.
This month, the Ayala Museum and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas present the exhibition Reuniting the Surigao Treasure. Curated by Dr Florina Capistrano-Baker, the exhibition reunites closely related objects from the Philippines’ most important collections of pre-colonial gold. This is the first time the two “twin” collections have been shown together in the country since the Philippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms exhibition at the Asia Society New York in 2015.
The museum is open to the public for free from 10 am to 6 pm.
7. MCAD
Above "Re-enactment, 2017" (Photo: Museum of Contemporary Art and Design/Facebook)
"Re-enactment, 2017" (Photo: Museum of Contemporary Art and Design/Facebook)
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The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD), located on the ground floor of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Design and Arts Campus, features contemporary art exhibitions, learning programs, and cultural and art-inspired undertakings that showcase the possibilities of technology and new media.
Its latest exhibition, Heidi Bucher: And Pull Yesterday Into Today, features a selection from the oeuvre of renowned Swiss artist Heidi Bucher (1926–1993).
Bucher, a groundbreaking artist of the international neo-avant-garde, studied fashion and textiles at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts under Johannes Itten, a key member of the Bauhaus. Bucher’s practice developed to such an extent that it encompasses architecture, spatial installations, drawings, sculptures, and collaborative performances.
Interested guests can come in free from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 am to 6pm and Sundays from 10am to 2pm only.
8. Fundacion Sanso
Fundacion Sansó is a non-stock and non-profit organisation created to preserve and promote the legacy of internationally renowned Spanish master Juvenal Sansó. From May 20 to June 1, the gallery will feature Waltz and selected works of National Artists Jerry Elizalde Navarro and Emma Navarro.
National Artist Jerry significantly influenced Filipino art by utilising mixed media and techniques. His partner, Emma, is also an exceptional artist, having her solo shows in the early 2000s.
The Fundacion Sanso gallery, located at 32 V. Cruz, Brgy. Sta. Lucia, San Juan, Philippines, is free and open to the public.
Read more: Juvenal Sansó: Master of Visual Artistry
9. Pinto Art Museum
Founded in 2010 to showcase the art collection of Filipino neurologist Dr. Joven Cuanang, Pinto Art Museum is a picturesque art haven in the heart of Rizal. It features a 1.2-hectare property where guests can dine, have coffee, and tour. The museum also allows prenup shoots, garden wedding ceremonies, and wedding receptions in the area.
This month, the museum will focus on its exhibit titled The Galleon Trade: 250 Years of Globalisation, An Exhibition of Original Antique Prints and Books. Featured here are artefacts such as the Figurehead of the galleon Angel de la Guardia, Elmer Borlongan’s large-scale work Panata, Antonio C. Leaño’s Oraciones por Paz y Buen Viaje (Prayers for Peace and Good Voyage), and more.
The exhibition is on view from May 5 to June 23 in the upper galleries one to three. Museum fees apply.
Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
