Ayala Museum, Filipinas Heritage Library reopen after 2 years

MANILA, Philippines – After a two-year renovation, Ayala Museum is set to welcome visitors again starting Sunday, December 4. 

On its social media pages, Ayala Museum said the soft opening ceremony on Sunday will be in celebration of their 60th anniversary. The Filipinas Heritage Library will also be made accessible to the public then, as well as five new galleries.

Designed by Leandro V. Locsin Partners, the newly-renovated museum features a new lobby “marked by a distinctive Asian sensibility and borrowed landscape.” According to its website, the redefined spaces are fitting for the new normal protocols brought about by the pandemic. 

To ensure their guests’ welfare, safety protocols will also be observed. Only fully vaccinated individuals, regardless of age, are allowed to visit the museum and the library. All guests must also provide proof of vaccination upon entry.

A sneak peek

The first five new galleries that will be available during the soft opening ceremony include the exhibitions – “Intertwined: Transpacific, Transcultural Philippines” and “Orientations Gallery.” A gallery dedicated to Fernando Zobel, the artist who envisioned Ayala Museum, called “Landscape into Painting: Fernando Zobel Serie Blanca”  will also be unveiled on Sunday. 

Visiting guests will also encounter the “Digital Gallery” located in the museum’s new lobby. It’s made up of eight sprawling screens that enables visitors to digitally explore the objects in the museum and library collections, and engage in interactive and conversational activities. 

“The Diorama Experience” exhibition, meanwhile, is composed of 60 dioramas that are designed to be a comprehensive visual approach to Philippine history. The rest of the galleries will be opened to the public in 2022. 

Aside from its soft opening, the Ayala Museum will also launch a new website and mobile app on Sunday as a means to support its onsite exhibitions. They said that its revamped portal can be used by guests to book visits, participate in workshops and conferences, access its collection online, and look through the new exhibitions.

Interested guests can book a slot through the Ayala Museum website. There, they can choose whether to book a visit to the Ayala Museum or the Filipinas Heritage Library.

A museum visit costs P350 per head while the library visit is free. Guests are required to book an appointment online at least a day before their planned visit.

The museum only allows a total of 140 people in a day. Throughout the day, seven time slots are available with 20 guests per timed visit. – Rappler.com