Now known as “The M”, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila is a popular art museum in the Philippines. It was established in 1976, and used to be located in the Bangko Central Pilipinas complex in Manila. I’ve marked this museum as a Must Visit in my Google Maps, and since 2020 I’ve been watching out for updates as to when they would reopen. Finally this year, they have officially reopened, and this time they moved to a new location closer to home.
Admission to The M was free. I booked myself and D a Saturday morning visit via their social media page. We got there early so we could have breakfast and explore the neighborhood. Though it’s just roughly 5 kilomers away from our home, D and I hardly go to this area as it means having to cross EDSA, the main thoroughfare of Metro Manila. So a stroll through this neighborhood gives us quite a different and refreshing perspective. Where The M is located always reminds me of Singapore.
At 10AM we entered the museum. There were only a few guests at the time. The first exhibit we checked out was the Ronald Ventura Collection at the ground floor. The Filipino contemporary artist showcased sculptures and vibrant graffiti-like paintings. Here are some of his works that caught my eye the most:
The next sections we went to upstairs were a feast to the eyes as we appreciated paintings and sculptures from various artists. Here are some of my favorites:
One of the areas in The M that made me feel nostalgic was this street basketball half court. It depicts a typical old school neighborhood scene. When I was younger I would see this more often, in fact back in the 90s, there was one that neighbors put up at the street where I grew up. My brother, cousin and their friends would spend afternoons playing there. Ah, good old memories.
The last exhibit was called Points of Origin by Jefre. This was the first solo exhibition in the Philippines of the Filipino-American artist Jefre Figueras Manuel. He has prominent works of art displayed across Metro Manila, and the pieces displayed in The M were quite fascinating. These were some of my favorites:
The Metropolitan Museum Manila is located at MK Tan Centre, 30th St corner 9th Ave, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Philippines.
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