| 01.08.2019 – Museums are a place of wonder and they also teach you about the culture of a particular city, state or the entire region. The Philippines is rich with culture but as you may not notice not everything is kept and preserved that it is quite challenging to understand why some have been lost through the past and some are just a distant memory.
But there are those pieces of history are still kept in their pristine condition because there’s support for it such as the paintings and installations that could have been a hundred or more years older than anyone. The National Museum Fine Arts is where you can find a collection of works by national artists in the country and some of the never before seen pieces that you’ll find interesting. |
There have been so many historical museums in Metro Manila alone that it is quite daunting where to start. But for those who just want to see where art from this country started you have to begin with the National History of Fine Arts that’s located just a few blocks from the Manila City Hall, which is also FREE ENTRY to everyone. Established in 1901, the National Museum of the Philippines is a actually FOUR places that that consists of National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, and National Planetarium. There are also regional museums across the country, but the ones in Metro Manila are the ones that certainly attract foreign visitors.
But to begin your museum tour the National Museum of Fine Arts is where most go as it housed the biggest collection of modern art that includes the iconic Spoliarium by Juan Luna, which is the first one you’ll ever see upon entering the main hall after registering your name at the door.
The story behind this painting was submitted by Luna to the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1884 in Madrid, where it garnered the first gold medal. In 1886, it was sold to the Diputación Provincial de Barcelona for 20,000 pesetas. But most of Juan Luna’s works can also be found at this museum a few levels up in one room including that lady seated in couch while the artist and his friends look on.
Besides the famous Spolarium you get to see some statues and busts as well as manuscripts from National Hero, Jose Rizal. There is also clothing from previous presidents and first ladies that you might come across along with the portrait paintings. Every floor has a level of interest from the Spaniards taking over the country to the colonial times. It is a time capsule of the country’s past and its heritage that says each painting has its own story.
You’ll be surprised that the museum itself is an art for photography the way the light shines through the windows and the open spaces takes an interesting look at the place. Although not for anyone’s taste as most could be boring for the young as fine art is rarely appreciated by some who takes time to look at each one of these works. The details and brush works are interesting to look despite some of them obscurely appear that not everyone could appreciate.
A day in the National Museum of Fine Art takes a lot due to each floor and rooms are A LOT to go through and it will certainly take most half of the visit and you still need to go to the Anthropology and Natural History which is located in Rizal Park where line builds up there for most of the interesting parts of the entirety of the National Museum of the Philippines.
The National Museum of Fine Arts is open seven days a week daily and for more details of the other museum visit the site at: www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph
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