John Raphael T.

Almanza
IV-BS Life Sciences
Looking for the Filipino: a critique on the National Museum
of the Philippines, Metropolitan Museum and Ayala Museum
"The boundaries defining a museum have become very loose these
days Museums are instruments or tools to carry out particular
goals. People have agendas, and a museum is one way to advance
an agenda. Stephen Weil
The Philippine culture has always been and continue to be a mixing
pot where cultures from neighbouring and distant countries have
interplayed in the creation of the Filipino identity. It was mentioned
back in my history classes that the real Filipino cannot just be
reduced to its indigenous and native past. In fact, to understand
more of the identity one must deal on the arduous task of analysing
(paghimay-himayin) its interconnected and overlapping points in its
history. This is where I stand with my main point, that in my pursuit
of looking for the Filipino in three of the most famous Museums in
the cityNational Museum of the Philippines, Metropolitan
Museum and Ayala Museum, I have been disappointed, yet still
enthralled to search more, of the mere functionality of the three
that in no way have become more than an institution for collection
and preservation.
According to Carbonell (2004), museums are both (1) a literal
gathering place for the reception of histories, memories, natures,
nations, cultures, and audiences, and (2) a topos or more abstract
mental gathering place for analytical and creative thinking about
our encounters with such representations (Carbonell 2004: 1). The
first function was, nonetheless, performed, though not much
successfully, by the three. The latter function seems to be of no
reach for any visitor, though not generalizing. I for myself felt so
detached not just to the collection but to the entirety of the
institutions (there were some exceptions though that will be
discussed later), especially, that my main goal to visit a museum is
to be opened with my culture, my heritage and roots, to extend out
an embrace that tells me, I do belong. In the end, it failed to
make me feel home.
National Museum of the Philippines

Established in 1901, the National Museum of the Philippines

continue to be the countrys major publicly owned, natural history
and ethnography museum. It is a Trust of the Government that
essentially has a three-dimensional goal. The first one is to be an
education institution by disseminating scientific and technical
knowledge
through
lectures,
exhibitions,
interviews
and
publications for students and the general public. Secondly, it aims
to be a scientific institution that will conduct fundamental research
programs in line of its vast natural history collection that includes
botany, zoology, geology and palaeontology. Lastly, it aims to be a
cultural center that takes centerstage in the study and preservation
of our cultural heritage (fine arts, anthropology and archaeology).
Entrance to the museum is free and
visitors are only asked to sign-in for
security purposes. Our team was even
asked if we needed assistance in
touring the place. We declined
because we might want to take a long
time exploring the place on our own.
They also provide certification as a
proof that you have visited the place
after you tour it. Taking photos is also
allowed as far as there is no flash. It is
consisted of 4 main sections: 1)
Figure 1shows a subsection of the
National Art Gallery of a room filled with
National Art Gallery, 2) Museum of
plaster sculptures of angels and the like
the Filipino People, 3) Museum of
Natural History, and 4) National Planetarium.
The National Art Gallery housed in the old congress building is
divided into many theme rooms filled with the arts. Each room has
its own collection of cohesive pieces. It has over 1,032 pieces of
easel paintings, sculptures, icons, sketches and mixed media that
span the 18th century to the late 21st century.
The Museum of the Filipino People and the Museum of Natural
History is situated in the same building which is said to house the
Department of Finance before. Upon the entrance and the
information/registration table is a spiral staircase that was advised
by the administration to be taken by the visitors.
One of the floors consists of a collection of old literary Filipino
pieces, including an interactive set-up where visitors could write
their name in Alibata. Although, in our visit, no paper nor pen were
provided in the table. No one was also there for us to ask
regarding the activity. A room with accented with Nipa as ceiling

that depict the typical Filipino lives during the Pre-modern era
(figure 2) carries old housewares that they used for various daily
activities such as hunting, fishing and farming. It is also built-in
with a fake pond where visitors could
take pictures of themselves. Moreover,
as part of the Natural History exhibit,
there is a room equipped with stuffed
and chemically treated animals for
preservation
purposes.
Unlike
the
National
Art
Gallery,
however,
collections here were not that examined.
Countless pieces were deteriorating and Figure 2subsection of the Museum of
the Filipino People whose ambiance
some the pieces were also covered in is of reminiscent of the native life of
dust and cobwebs. As you go higher, as the common provincial Filipino
well, through the floors, guards were also diminishing in number as
far as we even reached the top floor which was not even part of the
exhibit but we thought did because no sign was provided anywhere
saying that it was prohibited. In this floor we also saw animal bones
scattered around on the floor covered with a thin sheer piece of
cloth.
Roaming around the place, I thought I will be able to see more,
especially, of an exhibit that would highlight Philippine History and,
more importantly, the events, factors that contributed to the
development of the Filipino today. But I saw none, the exhibit
regarding the Filipino people just presented the common depiction
for us, characterized by the provincial way of living. We know in
fact, however, that things have changed and we are no longer the
people who sits by the river, bathe, wash and prey their while
waiting for the sun the set so that we can go back to our Nipa huts.
We have moved forward together with the rest of the world. It could
just be nice to see that development documented in pieces in the
Museum that what we think is the National.
Metropolitan Museum
Located in the heart of Manila, near the Central Bank of the
Philippines, the Metropolitan Museum collect, preserve and present
exhibitions of pre-colonial, modern and contemporary Philippine
art. It was established in 1979 to expose its audience to quality art
exhibitions and the liberal exchange of ideas, issues and creative
processes. The museum charges 100Php as entrance fee.
Photographs are only allowed to be taken in the ground floor.

Figure 3 shows a sample collection of

foreign coins from the Metropolitan
Museum

It has two floors and a basement. The

Upper floor holds an exhibit of art
pieces done by contemporary artists
through various types of media. Some
of the pieces were already familiar to
me as I have seen them before in the
Ateneo Art Gallery. The Ground floor
houses two exhibits in the time that I
visited. These are: 1) the coin
museum and 2) the exhibit on Chinese contemporary Ink paintings.
The coin museum was most memorable for me because the
administration did not just present their vast collection of coins,
local and foreign, but also provided interactive activities that is
enjoyable to both the young children and the young at heart.
The basement consisted of two partsan exhibit of gold ornaments
and pottery. The pieces of gold ores that were excavated from
various sites of the Philippines were carefully laid down and
arranged according to what part of the body it is placed. It also
offered substantial description of the pieces together with its
historical origin and even the ways how it was shaped and formed
in that manner. There were also few pieces of sculptures not
following a central theme.
As for my personal review, I did not feel amused by the collection
this museum contained compared to the vastness and the quality
that of the National Museum has. It is, however, undeniable that
they were able to preserve the pieces better as evident by the
neatness and cleanliness of the area and as well as the immediate
and unrelenting visibility of guards roaming the building. In the
end, still like the National Museum, it failed to give me a sense of
belonging to the culture that they were trying to present. The end
result of my visit in the museum is not more than a mere
appreciation of the Filipino talent.

Ayala Museum
The Ayala Museum was built in 1967 as a project of the Ayala
Foundation. It was envisioned by Fernando Zobel de Ayala as a
museum of Philippine History and Iconography. With its 6-storey
building, it stores a variety of collection including its infamous gold,
paintings, sculptures, pottery, clothing and the like. It also presents
an array of small replicas of maritime vessels arranged in a very

unique and meaningful manner. Most importantly, it houses sixty

handicraft dioramas, of major events in our history, which also form
the core of the museums historical collection. The student fee of
150 Php was definitely a worthy spending considering the vast
amount of information and, eventual, learning one can get from
their exhibits.
Out of the three museums, the Ayala
Museum definitely outcompete the others in
all the criteria I have mentioned in Table 1.
It is very evident that though the real
entrance for the museum ranges from 200300 Php, the payment goes to its rightful
spending. I have never seen any piece
having even the slightest chance of being
undermanaged. In the Millennium of
Contact hall, over 500 Chinese and
Southeast Asian ceramics are displayed.
Aside from this, a room were visitors could Figure 4 shows me and my
seat down and watch a video regarding the friends as we enter the museum
collection and its importance to Philippine History is also provided.
Unlike the other museums that just seem to be satisfied in merely
displaying their collection, the Ayala Museum extends the
appreciation up to the significance of the pieces in National
development. It is as if that every piece in their collection entails a
story, ultimately, contributing in terms of the mentioned exhibit to
our formation of social and commercial ties with China and its
neighbours.
The Gold of Ancestors which is situated at the top floor also
shows a video documentary on their gold collection, its significance
to Philippine economy today and for future generations. The gold
pieces laid and spread across the room in a very neat and
unpredictable manner. They even provide magnifying lenses so that
you can see the intricate details in each of the pieces. Various
audios are also located if one needs helping in understanding the
pieces. The visit in the Museum, undoubtedly, is an unforgettable
experience because their administration have tapped avenues or
ways they could deliver their message.
Most remarkable is the Diorama experience where one could live
again through actual and 3-D figures the events that paved to a lot
of major developments in our history. The exhibit started in the prehistoric Philippines showing cave people that once settled in the

Tabon Caves in Palawan and following through the easy path would
one be narrated of the Philippine History told in still-life. The
exhibit ended not with a diorama but with a video presentation
depicting the Marcos regime. This is the only museum that have
told Philippine History in detail and in order.
If I would have to add to their collection, I would suggest an exhibit
showing the events in the ordinary life of Filipinos post-war and
post-EDSA. This would definitely make the experience more
relatable not just for a mere visitor who thirst for information but
someone who wants to acknowledge the Filipino way of life.
Table 1 shows summary of findings and evaluation for the museums
Criteria
Price
Service

Amenities

National
Museum
free
People
were
warm
and
welcoming but
lack visibility

Metropolitan
Museum
100Php
The
administration
was
approachable
when you asks
questions
Washrooms
Very
few
were
not places to visit
thoroughly
maintained

Ayala Museum
150Php
Excellent!
Everyone was
friendly
and
seem to be
caring.

Excellent
amenities.
Even
the
elevator
has
music.
Variety
Most vast
Few
Moderate
Presentation
Pieces
Excellent.
Excellent.
properly
Shows obvious Shows obvious
labelled
but effort
in effort
in
not in terms of preserving.
preserving.
storage
Cohesiveness
Poor
Poor
All
pieces
entirely
connect
with
each other
Arrangement
No particular No particular The tour itself
order
order
is
ordered.
Chronological.
Quality
of Poor
Good
Excellent
Pieces
Representative Being
Poor
Good

ness of the developed

Filipino culture
In conclusion, I would admit that what I am asking regarding
instilling more Filipinoness from these museums is demanding. I
also believe that even the most established museums abroad also
find it hard to function the way I want to. But it is no denying that a
lot of things must be improved on especially on the way pieces in a
museum should eventually be relatable to each other, remembering
that there exists in museum a collective mentality of the people that
individually helped in shaping history and whatever lies beyond it.
References
Carbonell, B. M. Museum studies: an anthology of contexts. Oxford:
Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2004.