Guide to the National Museum of Natural History

The National Museum of Natural History is a neoclassical structure in the heart of Ermita, Manila. It is easy to glimpse the museum from afar, featuring its beautiful, stark white facade bearing six fluted columns with Corinthian capitals that make you feel as if you aren't in Ermita at all.

The building where the museum stands now was originally built in 1940 to house the Agriculture and Commerce Building. Its design was masterminded by Filipino architect Antonio Toledo in the late 1930s and carried the same dimension floor plan as its twin building, the Finance Building, within the vicinity.

The beautiful building saw its destruction in 1945 after it was bombarded by American forces. In 1949, it joined the list of government buildings to be reconstructed, and its iconic design was retained.

It then became the home of the Department of Tourism for a couple of years, before finally opening to the public in 2018 as the National Museum of Natural History. Today it boasts of 12 different galleries that showcase the zoological, botanical, and geological histories of the Philippines through interactive displays, video guides, diagrams, and illustrations. The National Museum of Natural History remains as one of the most visited museums in Metro Manila.

What to See There

Gallery I: Philippine Biodiversity

In Gallery I of the National Museum of Natural History, the Philippines' diverse fauna and flora take center stage. According to the museum, the Philippines is known as a "megadiverse yet also a biologically hotspot country," meaning that although it has rich biodiversity, it is also under serious threat from human activities.

Gallery II: The Geology of the Philippines

In Gallery II, "The Geology of the Philippines," get ready to sight some of the igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks that make the foundation of the country's islands. Visitors of this gallery will also learn what separates a tsunami from a storm surge, as well as see the effects of the 1991 Pinatubo eruption, the second largest eruption in the 20th century.

Gallery IV: Life Through Time

"Life Through Time" is the fourth and final gallery on the museum's fifth floor and takes visitors ion a journey to the past with its displays of various fossils that have been discovered all over the Philippines. From a replica of a megalodon's jaw to various seashells and fossils of ammonite and corals, this gallery is the perfect exhibit to visit if you're a paleontology nerd.

Other Galleries and Halls

• Gallery III: Minerals and Energy Resources

• Carabao Family
• Gallery V: The Mossy, Motane and Pine Forests
• Gallery VI: Tropical Lowland Evergreen Rainforest
• Gallery VII: Ultramafic and Limestones Karst Forests
• Gallery VIII: Freshwater Wetlands

• Gallery IX: Mangroves, Beaches and Intertidal Zones
• Gallery X: The Marine Realm
• Gallery XI: Our Natural Inheritance
• Gallery XII: The Pioneering Naturalists in the Philippines
• The Ayala Reception Hall

• Hyundai Hall
• The Shell Philippines Centennial Upper Courtyard
• Martha Atienza
• Richard McGregor Hallway

Guidelines

Guests are required to pre-book online at least one day before their visit to the National Museum complex. Confirmation of booking will be sent through email.

Only 100 persons are allowed in every museum per session. The museums are open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9 AM to 12 PM (AM sessions) and from 1 PM to 4 PM (PM sessions).

Only those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be allowed to enter. Proof of identification and vaccination is required upon entry.

For more information about the guidelines, go here. You may pre-book your visit here.