LIST: Museums with free admission, activities that you can attend this weekend

Museum date this weekend, anyone?

Every May, International Museum Day is celebrated to raise awareness of how museums take part in spreading cultural knowledge, preserving and empowering literature and art, and how they became an avenue for people and artists to convey messages that tackle social issues and freedom of expression in various forms. 

This year's celebrations have been set to the theme “Museums for Education and Research” and museums in the country are conducting free admissions and special activities in their spaces to encourage people to visit and learn more about art, history, and culture. Here are some to add to your to-visit list this weekend.

Ayala Museum  

This May 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Ayala Museum is having a free admission day.

Visitors can freely check out all Ayala Museum galleries including Ayala Museum: In Microcosm, Ceramics and Cultural Currency: Exchange of Pottery and Prestige, Globe Digital Gallery, Gold of Ancestors: Pre-colonial Treasures in the Philippines, Filipinas Heritage Library, and many more.  

There are a lot of things to look forward to as the Makati-based museum updated its Gold of Ancestors: Pre-colonial Treasures in the Philippines exhibition. Crafts collective Googley Gooeys will also join for a hands-on activity, and there will be educational videos for visitors to check out.

Slots for this day will be limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. A pre-registration link will be available through Ayala Museum's social media platforms. 

Yuchengco Museum  

Seize the fun and the opportunity to learn about art, cultural, historical, and design exhibits and programs at Yuchengco Museum, located at RCBC Plaza, Corner Ayala & Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenues in Makati.  

For this year’s International Museum Day, Yuchengco Museum offers a 2-day free admission for its visitors on May 17 and 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

Some of the exhibits that you can witness include Roots and Paradoxes: The Filipino Voices of Carlos Bulosan and Carlos Villa, Fernando Amorsolo: Partnership with the Danilo Soriano Family Foundation and the Fernando Amorsolo Art Foundation, Blue Horizons by Glenn A. Bautista (RCBC Corporate Art Collection), and many more artist arts to see.

AIMS Museo Maritimo  

AIMS (Asian Institute of Maritime Studies) Museo Maritimo–the first maritime-themed museum in the Philippines—marks International Museum Day with activities for visitors to join.

It will be conducting an Open Museum Day, the soft launch of Deck 4 Educational Walls in the Lighthouse Building, and the release of AIMS Museo Maritimo Publication.

From May 16 to 18 AIMS Museo Maritimo will be open to the public for free.

AIMS Museo Marito is located at A. Arnaiz Avenue corner Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City.

Ateneo Art Gallery

The Ateneo Art Gallery is celebrating International Museum Day with back-to-back "ArtSpeaks" on May 16 and 18 which are free and open to the public.

The first ArtSpeak is titled "An Artist's Conversation with a Physicist and a Philosopher" with Mark Orozco Justiniani, Fr. Jett Villarin, SJ, and Dr. Remmon Barbaza. 

Meanwhile, the second talk, happening on May 18 will be about writing and will feature Eileen Legaspi Ramirez, Mariah Reodica, Jay Rosas, Nicole Soriano Lao, and moderated by Lisa Ito-Tapang.

National Museum – Book Cover Design Activity  

Love books and art?

This May 17, the National Museum of the Philippines will conduct a Book Cover Design Activity at the Central Library and Archives of the National Museum of Anthropology.  

Aside from the designing activity, participants can also enjoy a book talk and gallery tour in celebration of National Heritage Month this May.  

The Digital Drawing Activity will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. while the Traditional Drawing Activity will happen from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Check out the National Museum's Facebook page to register for the activities as slots are limited.

UP Vargas Museum

On May 18, the UP Vargas Museum is having a day full of activities, including a pulp painting paper-making workshop for children on May 18, 25, and June 1 every 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

You can also check out the "White Heat" exhibit and join conversations with artists Micael Benedicto, Buen Calabayan, Troy Ignacio, Mark Salvatus, Veejay Villafranca, and Constantino Zicarelli at 3:30 p.m.

Check out how you can register for these events through the UP Vargas Museum Facebook page.

Intramuros museums

Admission is also free on May 18 at the Bahay Tsinoy Museum and Casa Manila Museum.

At the Bahay Tsinoy museum, you can check out the Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center which houses documents and pieces on the history, lives, and contributions of the ethnic Chinese in the country.

Meanwhile, Casa Manila depicts the colonial lifestyle during the Spanish colonial era.

GSIS Museo ng Sining

This May 18, the GSIS Museo ng Sining, located in Diosdado Macapagal Ave., Pasay City, features activities including fun games from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.