National Museum Philippines: A visual feast

It’s been years when I last stepped inside National Museum. I think I didn't have a kid yet then, just married. That time, the halls were eerie and poorly lighted. There were hardly any visitors the last time I was there. But now, stepping back here again with my husband and  my kid in tow, I’m glad that it has greatly improved with better lighting and more than a handful of visitors, tourists coming in.

The National Museum has two buildings. The main one holds the famous Spoliarium of Juan Luna along with other paintings. The other one has artifacts from wreck dives and other Filipino memorabilia.

We first went to the building containing some artifacts from the wreck dives. It showcased a lot of old cannons, ceramic plates and jars which can be seen on different wings, dramatically lighted and well-preserved. I’m glad you can take a pictures of these but only without the flash on.

This building also showcased the different clothes worn by Filipinos back then as well as their different tableware. It has a wing that incorporated the Filipino bahay kubo (cube-like native house) in its interiors so walking on the bamboo slats felt like you were walking in an actual bahay kubo.

Then we went to the main building. We parked in front of it along with the other cars. And going inside I was glad to see the restored architecture of the place, the massive pillars in the foyer opulently lighted with chandeliers. All of this greeting you before walking to the main star of the place, the Spoliarium of Juan Luna.

The Spoliarium, the biggest painting in the museum is as always awe-inspiring. Juan Luna must have been very inspired to have made this daunting piece of work. He must have been quite moved by the abuses made to his countrymen during the Spanish rule so much that he had to paint this.

So it's no surprise then that Juan Luna had his own wing in the museum, an appreciation perhaps for his nationalism and a way to showcase  his other scintillating works. And I love it. He’s the closest thing to a Renoir for me, Renoir being one of the French impressionist painter I discovered on the pages of an encyclopedia when I was younger.

But other than the Juan Luna wing, the museum also has other awe-inspiring wings like the one with the white-plaster sculptures. And wow. Sometimes, I have to tell myself that yes, I’m in Manila and not in a museum outside the country. The corporate sponsors have contributed a lot in restoring the different wings in the museum and I’m quite happy that these works of art can be carefully preserved for more generations to see.

I also love the wing with the wooden carvings and sculptures, these being the type of pieces that resonates well to the Filipino’s love for wooden artworks, ones often seen in some houses and churches.

Then there are the paintings of other famous Filipino painters like Amorsolo, Manansala and BenCab beautifully showcased on the newly-painted walls. Its ambiance felt like being in a museum you see in movies, prim and elegant.

One interesting part of the museum is the bones section featuring the bones of a gigantic sperm whale and other animals. It had a more scientific feel to it but just as fascinating as the other sections of the museum. There’s no airconditioning in this area though so maybe bring a fan.

Overall, my return to the National Museum had been a visual feast and quite a joy because I was able to share it with my husband who loves history. Though, I would have enjoyed it better without my kid adamantly tugging me to go outside when he got bored and sticking his face in one of the cannons.

Because the place had a lot of things to offer other than paintings, sculptures and architecture, it also has dioramas and dramatic murals. I would love to visit it again (maybe without the kid) so I can leisurely enjoy the engaging masterpieces and marvelous works of art. Besides, on Sundays its free admission so it’s a great way to spend the weekend.