May 18 is International Museum Day and to celebrate this, several museums all over the country offer free admission for the public. To encourage most visitors to come, some museums have special events today and the next few days.
With this year’s theme “Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums,” museums hope to become “hubs for promoting peaceful relationships between people.” The International Council of Museums said that by looking at and accepting “contested histories,” countries can start building a “shared future,” according to a GMA report.
Museums Offer Free Admission And More
The Metropolitan Museum of Manila offers free admission to their Seascapes and Abot Tanaw exhibits today from 11 a.m. onwards. Another exhibit called Mapping the Philippines Seas will have guided tours for free starting at 3 p.m. This exhibit presents ancient maps of the Philippines and surrounding seas and gives a glimpse of map-making throughout the centuries.
Museo Pambata and Yuchengco Museum also waived admission fees for the day. Museo Pambata, known for its interactive exhibits for kids, opens from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Yuchengco Museum on the other hand features exhibits about Filipino-Chinese heritage, opens from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Although the National Museum already offers free admission, for International Museum Day the museum organized Contested Histories Tours at the National Museum of Fine Arts and the National Museum of Anthropology. The Sabangan Museum in Mati City, Davao Oriental is also launching its Mobile Boxes Exhibit.
In Baguio City, Museo Kordilyera will also be accepting visitors the whole day today for free. Check out the one of a kind Macli-ing Dulag exhibit which is extended until May 19.
Special Events In Store For Visitors
The Ayala Museum, aside from waiving admission fees to all its exhibits today and Friday, May 19, is also hosting a talk by the artists of the Manara art installation. Set to make the public appreciate Muslim culture, the museum will also have food stalls offering the cuisine of Southern Philippines.
The Lopez Museum also offers two days for free admission on May 18 and May 20, as well as guided tours of one of its art exhibits Pauses of Possibility.