When In Manila, another must see museum is the modernly majestic looking Ayala Museum located at the heart of Makati. I had not been inside this museum since it was renovated some years back so when I saw that Ayala Museum was offering free entrance in celebration of International Museum Day, I took the opportunity to finally see what had changed since the last time I was there – which was quite a few years back already!
I started my tour at the 4th floor just as the woman in the registration area had suggested I do. You’ll find here an exhibition of the pre-colonial treasures of the Philippines. A definite must see in this floor is the huge theater screen. Take a seat in one of the comfy couches as you learn through an audio visual presentation the story of the gold of our ancestors. You can also go around to see the gold exhibit and further learn about the history of the valuable element we call gold and it’s history in the Philippine culture.
If you have a thing for arts, then you’ll most likely enjoy walking around the 3rd floor of Ayala Museum where they feature paintings from the 20th and 21st century. More specifically, you can admire the works of Fernando Amorsolo, Juan Luna and Fernando Zobel. Did you guys know that Fernando Zobel never went anywhere without his sketchbook and camera? So do check out some of the old photos Fernando Zobel took from his trips.
Of course you shouldn’t go to Ayala Museum without seeing the dioramas at the 2nd floor, which captured and features in 3d, scenes from Philippine history like that from the first people in the country to the colonial times of Spain, America and Japan to the full fledged recognition of the Philippines’ independence. Ever been curious as to how tall Jose Rizal is? Or how about the well loved president of the country, Ramon Magsaysay? Well, you can see for yourself since Ayala Museum actually indicates how tall some of the most famous people were in our history. I tried to see how I’d fare out with the former United Nations President, Carlos P. Romulo, who’s just 5’1 in height and well, even he was taller than I am!
We’ve read and heard about the famous EDSA Revolution, People Power I in school, but the Ayala Museum will take your learning one step further with their impressive audio visual presentation of the Marcos Regimen, Ninoy Aquino’s assasination and yes, Cory Aquino’s win against the dictator which can also be found at the 2nd floor of the museum. Last stop on the ground floor, do check out the ongoing audio visual presentation exhibit of climate change called Unwetter / Thunderstorm. This will run until May 29.
For those  who want to read up more about the exhibits, you can buy guide books such as the Diorama Experience and Gold of Ancestors at the museum shops.  Ayala Museum will surely make your museum visit a really cool experience with it’s high tech and modern way of showcasing the Philippines’ history and culture.
Currently, there is also this interesting art piece outside the Ayala Museum building:
When in Manila, you should definitely try to go on a museum tour. It’s a great experience to try! So visit Ayala Museum at Makati Avenue cor. De La Rosa St., Greenbelt Park, Makati City. It’s open Tuesday – Friday from 9am -6pm and weekends from 10am – 7 pm.
