Explore with Care – National Museum of Natural History, Manila

April 1, 2020July 28, 2021 Rex Lim Lim MUSEUM

Reading Time: 8 minutes

The National Museum of Natural History aims to shed light into the wonderful world of flora and fauna, the rich biodiversity that is uniquely (and endemically) Filipino.

A new approach to the more than just usual collections of curious pieces of artifacts, paintings and exhausting array of archaeological finds.

Double Helix and the Festive Banderitas

Table of Contents

The project was spearheaded by Dominic Galicia Architects and comes with a whopping price tag of P2.4 Billion. In fact, this recently renovated DOT Building is a modern architectural marvel in the country. Today, is deemed as one of the most ambitious cultural projects to date.

So why renovate this one of a kind structure? Because under the National Museum Act, which was passed in 1998, mandates that the three civic buildings within Luneta Park be converted into museums.

This is now a reality as of today. First, the Department of Finance, is now the National Museum of Anthropology. Second, the Department of Tourism, is now the National Museum of Natural History. Third, the Legislative Building on Padre Burgos Ave., which is now the National Museum of Fine Arts.

Level after level

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, the author finally visited the museum and gave it a look after all the buzz it made from its opening last May 2018. At the back entrance near T.M. Kalaw Street, the first lobby will greet you with a piece of Stalagmite and several paintings.

The first floor is a collection of different petrified woods, and other exhibits surrounding the main courtyard.

But one of the main highlight of this newly renovated neoclassical building is the “Tree of Life”. Just like a human DNA housing a glass elevator, the double helix vertical structure stands sentinel in the courtyard. Furthermore, it extends to the roof of the six-story museum and ends in a circular dome that resembles a tree canopy.

This is characterized by triangular geometric patterns, made up of glass and aluminum panels. Moreover, this festive buntings or banderitas-like design allows natural light to pass through down to the ground floor. Eventually casting interesting shadows that further adds up to the elegance of the breath taking structure.

Around the courtyard, several drapings spanning over several stories high will be noticeable aside from the elevator. It depicts three of the most treasured and protected species in the Philippines. Namely, the Philippine Tarsier (Carlito syrichta), the Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), and lastly the mighty Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi).

Shedding a New Light

From the other side of the courtyard is a massive ramp system that goes up through the several floors that looks impressive but also practical. This is built because the building hallways are too narrow to hold large volumes of people at any given time.

It is also advised to take the elevator first to the upper most galleries as it is connected by a sky bridge with glass sidings to compliment the elevator of the Tree of Life and amble down to the lower floors. But as of writing is not really in use since the galleries at the 4th to 6th floors are all still closed to the public.

Interactive

What made this museum shed a new light to the museum experience is the addition of unique and interactive exhibits. It entices the visitors to carefully tread and give more time to read the easily explained captions instead of just posing for photos.

The second floor houses exhibits about the Pioneering Naturalists in the country as well as identification and classification of different flora and fauna.

Here, you’ll find taxidermied species, galleries, dedicated classrooms, paintings. Also there are audio visual presentations that immerses the visitors what it is like to be in the forests and mountains, into the colorful life underwater, how fierce and majestic the volcanoes in the country is, how species are identified, and even a glimpse of how naturalists in the field does all the work.

Marine Realm

The third floor cradles the galleries of Mangroves, Beaches, and Intertidal Zones and The Marine Realm. First look will give you a glimpse of how this areas look, feel and sound in real life.

In this part of the museum you will find life sized exhibits such as the filter feeding carpet shark commonly called as Butanding (Whale Shark – Rhincodon typus), Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Monkeys hanging from trees, Yellow Fin Tunas, Manta-rays, other species of birds commonly found in the Philippine Wetlands and Marshes, and huge collections of endemic species around the archipelago.

Lolong

Moreover, a gallery at the first floor, named as the Ayala Reception Hall, remains of Lolong, the skeleton of the world’s largest crocodile once in captivity and other similar relics (of the Philippine Rhinoceros), hang from the ceiling.

The building was retrofitted to follow safety standards for museums, but to preserve certain designs and structures like the wrought iron grills.

Raising Awareness and the Takeaway Experiences

With the new approach in museum experience as the author had seen throughout the initial galleries that are open. Some installations engages visitors to touch, feel, hear and see what it is really out there – raising awareness to the Filipinos, both adults and kids, about the natural environment and how rich the biodiversity of the archipelago is.

With all kinds of really unique, interesting and diverse specimens of animals and plants, as well as a unique geology and weather, this is the right place for the people to see what the country has and how we can all be environmentally conscious.

This can also ingrain important lessons into each person seeing how gifted our country is in terms of natural wonders. Thus, engaging everyone to take part and protect what is left of the living species and natural monuments. This makes it all the more important to be involved in the protection and conservation of our country’s rich biodiversity.

With all the funding the museum has pooled into this modern architectural wonder, it remains free for the public to enjoy. Kids and adults from all walks of life can access all the 11 permanent galleries in the house.

The doors of the National Museum of Natural History will remain open as long as it takes to keep the Filipinos aware of how important the wildlife it is to our mere existence and how it is essential to our identities.

With all of this in mind, let us all follow the Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently unveiled hashtag, #ExploreWithCare.

We should all take part in protecting our environment and not polluting it even more, avoid plastics and practice LNT Principles whenever possible.

“Culture is adaptation to environment. What we are is a product of our environment.”

– Maria Isabel Ongpin

Travel Tips

Entrance and access to the museum is FREE.
Have your meals before visiting as you will be subjected to a lot of walking and touring around the (soon to be) 11 permanent galleries
Follow all the rules set by the museum authorities such as:
- Follow the prescribed dress code, no wearing of slippers, sandos, caps, revealing dresses and all other deemed as inappropriate attires
- No flash photography
- No wacky poses with the artworks, we are here to learn, not for #InstagramGoals
- Practice discipline and avoid unnecessary noises
- No sitting on floors and touching of exhibits and artworks
- Submit yourself for inspection, all bags should be deposited at the check-in counter at the lobbies
- Firearms, food, bottled water, and ballpens are not allowed inside galleries, smoking is strictly prohibited
Check all the museum rules and FAQs here: The National Museum Visiting Information
The National Museum of Natural History collections website HERE

How To Get There

Via Public Transportation

Nearest access point is via the LRT Line 1 United Nations Station, upon alighting at the station, cross the T.M. Kalaw St until you reach General Luna St. the back entrance will be visible, or go around until you reach Rizal Park where the Lapu-Lapu Shrine stands and the Relief Map of the Philippines are located on the other side of the Museum main Entrance.
Similarly if coming from Quezon City or Sampaloc, Manila, several jeeps or UV Express Vans bound for EDSA-Baclaran or Buendia passes by Luneta and alight at T.M. Kalaw or any other nearer stops along Taft Avenue.
Public Transit Directions by MOOVIT, LINK HERE.

Via Private Transportation:

From the Airport/ Makati:
- Take Roxas Boulevard going north, right at P. Burgos Street (after Rizal Park), stay right to take Finance Road.
From QC City Hall:
- Take Quezon Avenue going south, left at Quezon Boulevard, then take Lagusnilad underpass going to Taft Avenue. Right at P. Burgos (first stop light).
From the Airport
- Take Roxas Boulevard going north, right at P. Burgos Street (after Rizal Park), stay right to take Finance Road.

Teodoro F. Valencia Circle, Ermita, Manila, 1000 Metro Manila