10 things you probably didn’t know about the National Museum

Did you know that October is Museum and Galleries month, and therefore admission to the National Museum of the Philippines is free this entire month?

Here are ten more facts you might or might not know about one of our nation's great hubs of knowledge, history, science and culture.

1. Free admission every Sunday

If you can't make it to National Museum this month, admission to the National Museum is also free on Sundays. Admission is also free throughout May, which is National Heritage month.

2. One complex, three buildings

The National Museum complex is actually composed of three existing buildings, including two within the grounds of Rizal Park. The first and most famous structure is the National Art Gallery, whose image can also be seen on the reserve side of the New Generation/BSP Series P50 bill. It was the old Congress building, and Manuel L. Quezon was sworn in as President of the Commonwealth on its steps.

The second building, adjacent to the National Art Gallery, is the National Museum of Anthropology, also known as the Museum of the Filipino People. It houses the National Museum's anthropological and archeological divisions.

The third existing member of the National Museum complex is the National Planetarium, located further along Padre Burgos Avenue.

3. A future fourth member

Renovations and retrofitting are being done at the old Department of Tourism building to pave way for a new National Museum of Natural History.

The old Department of Tourism (DOT) office along T.M. Kalaw Avenue is now being renovated and will house the National Museum of Natural History.

4. There are strict rules

Due to the priceless nature of the artworks and artifacts, visitors can only bring their cellphones and wallets inside the galleries. The use of tripods and flash photography is prohibited. You cannot touch the artworks either. Food and drinks are also not allowed inside.

5. Different temperatures inside the National Art Gallery

There are 25 galleries inside the National Museum of Fine Arts and not all of them are the same temperature-wise. Rooms that feature modern and contemporary works of art are usually cooler than galleries with old, exposed paintings and relics. The use of dehumidifiers is also needed to preserve what’s left of these timeless and priceless pieces.

6. The Spoliarium is not alone in its gallery

Juan Luna's 'The Spoliarium', displayed in the Hall of Masters, is a crowd favorite

While everyone knows Juan Luna’s 1884 Madrid Art Exposition gold medal-winning masterpiece, The Spoliarium, fellow great painter Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo’s The Assassination of Governor Bustamante and His Son can also be found across it in the Hall of Masters.

7. Not everything is permanent

Contrary to popular belief, not all exhibits inside the National Art Gallery and the Museum of Anthropology are installed there permanently. Some priceless paintings like Luna’s Parisian Life (Interior d’un Cafe) and Vicente S. Manansala’s rural-themed, seven-piece paintings for PhilamLife’s UN Avenue office are on loan from the GSIS and PhilamLife collections, respectively.

8. A part of Berlin is here

Students look at a section of the Berlin Wall, a gift to the Filipino people from the people of Germany, on display at the National Museum in Manila on Thursday, October 8. AFP/Jay Directo

There’s a new installation inside the National Museum of Anthropology that does not have an ounce of Filipino blood or history behind it. Section 22 of the Berlin Wall was finally unveiled to the public on October 7 after the City of Berlin officially turned the 3.65-meter by 1.2-meter section over to the Philippines on December 3, 2014.

Once part of the wall separating socialist East Germany from the NATO-aligned West Germany, Section 22 will be placed in a permanent installation inside Rizal Park as a reminder to the general public and future generations of the universal quest for freedom and the friendship and ties between the citizens of the capital cities of both countries.

9. Learn through hands-on demos

Weaving demonstrations are offered for free during the month of October.

The museum also offers hands-on demonstrations that can teach visitors about Filipino culture and heritage. For this month, the National Museum has partnered with mat and basket weavers from Calabarzon (Laguna and Quezon) and Bicol (Albay and Sorsogon) to conduct basic weaving lessons for free.

10. Virtual tour at home

If you want to skip the crowds or simply want to have an unobstructed 360° view of the Spoliarium from the comfort of your own home, you can check out the National Museum's virtual tour of the Juan Luna exhibit and National Artists Award gallery. — BM, GMA News

The National Museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free on Sundays.