National Museum of the Philippines

The Philippine government’s national museum institution preserves, studies, and interprets the country’s natural and cultural heritage through museums, research, and heritage programs.

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National Museum of Fine Arts: A Manila museum housing Philippine paintings and sculpture, including works by Juan Luna and Félix Resurrección Hidalgo. It presents the institution’s fine-arts collections in the former Legislative Building.
National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009: A Philippine law establishing policies and institutions for protecting the country’s cultural heritage. It provides a broader legal framework for the museum’s cultural-property responsibilities.
Philippine Exposition of 1887: A colonial exhibition in Madrid that displayed Philippine people, objects, and products to Spanish audiences. The exposition exemplifies the colonial-era collecting and display practices that preceded the national museum.
Spoliarium: A monumental 1884 painting by Juan Luna depicting fallen gladiators being dragged from a Roman arena. The painting is a signature work in the National Museum of Fine Arts.
National Museum of Anthropology: A Manila museum devoted to Philippine archaeology, ethnology, and material culture. Its galleries interpret the country’s archaeological and ethnographic collections.
Philippine Registry of Cultural Property: The national inventory of cultural property maintained under Philippine heritage law. The museum helps document cultural properties in this national registry.
Philippine Commission: The governing body established by the United States in the Philippines in 1899, later exercising legislative authority. Its legislation helped establish the early American-period museum and scientific institutions.
Manunggul Jar: A Neolithic burial jar from Palawan, notable for its lid depicting two figures in a boat. This National Museum collection object is a celebrated example of Philippine precolonial funerary art.
National Museum of Natural History: A Manila museum presenting Philippine biodiversity, geology, and natural history. It represents the institution’s natural-science work and collections.
Archaeology of the Philippines: The study of past societies in the Philippine archipelago through material remains and archaeological contexts. Museum researchers conduct and preserve archaeological work across the archipelago.