My family and I always enjoy museums-- no matter if they're…read moremodern art or classic, natural history or science/tech; they're all good in their own way. We were finishing up a day trip in the Antipolo area and had to pass by the Pinto MODERN ART Museum. First thing I will say is this museum is NOT for senior citizens. It's a lot of stairs and awkward walking/spaces. My parents and Tias/Tios did not like that. Another negative would be the lack of air flow in the buildings. It was almost stifling in a lot of areas. And we all know that when the air is hot and sticky, the mosquitos come in droves. So even when you're walking around TRYING to appreciate the artwork, you become preoccupied with swatting the mosquitos trying to drain your blood. It was very annoying. Other than that, it's an interesting collection of MODERN art. Definitely NOT for everybody's taste. The architecture of the buildings were amazing though! We really enjoyed imagining the heyday of those houses/buildings. It can be a bit confusing navigating the different buildings; the museum definitely needs to update their signage. Especially during the dusk /evening hours, outdoor signage was greatly lacking and was frustrating many people who were trying to go towards the "exit" --and NOTE, this museum is majority an OUTDOOR/Open-air museum, with a LOT of stairs/steps; NOT good for people with mobility issues. :( The staff were friendly enough and somewhat polite; and for that, they get the 3stars. Otherwise it's an interesting experience and probably NOT for everyone. They do have an eatery on site for those who get hangry when they get lost in the maze. ;)

A very beautiful museum that combines nature ant Art as a form of healing! Recently visited this…read moremuseum with my friends and I was in awe because I felt so serene while visiting the museum and touring it grounds, you can see soft vintage beds and couches all scattered around its vicinity, we asked our tour guide why is that so and he said because they believe art and nature could both heal the soul. We also visited their cafe and the food was okay, salad was drenched in their dressing but overall I like the aesthetics of the cafe, felt I was in Greece.

Walking along Doña Aurora Street, my travel companions and I admired street art versions of…read moreNational Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco's artworks. And, what else would we find on the street but the artist's house itself? It is now a museum, maintained by the next generations, particularly his grandson, Totong, also an artist. In fact, Totong's artworks are also displayed in the museum. Going around the house, we saw different memorabilia. We were quite fascinated with the art materials set up as though Francisco would come in to paint any minute. The drafting table there is what he actually used when he was still alive. I admire the determination of the National Artist's descendants in helping to keep his legacy alive. I am floored by the energy and eagerness of his grandson Totong to talk about his grandfather and to talk about art. He welcomed us the way hosts would usually receive guests at home - with much warmth and hospitality.

Artists all in the family - and such beautiful artworks too! I was amazed at the talent of this…read morefamily as I looked through their artworks in this museum. The parents and the children all paint! It began from the father, Jose Blanco, the son of a fisherman (his father) and a vendor (mother). And then each child began to paint, too. The father and children held group exhibits. The mother, Loring Blanco, happily, took up painting at age 48 herself. Each of them has their own style, though all of them depict scenes mostly in the Philippines, like festivals, farming, families, among others. It was here through the paintings that I learned Angono has its own St. Isidore Festival similar to Lucban's Pahiyas, with all the kiping. I was particularly amazed at the paintings of Peter Paul Blanco, who started young. At age 6, he already did an oil pastel painting with much shading and detail. And before that, his drawings are certainly beyond the usual stick figures kids draw.

If you've ever wanted to feel inadequate and wonder to yourself what you've been doing all these…read moreyears, a visit to the Blanco Family Museum will do exactly that. It's not because their art is full of despondency and despair, but because you get to see how incredibly talented the whole family is. Stepping inside the gallery means going in head first into the lives of each of the Blanco family members. Each painting comes with a corresponding note how young they were when they painted it. You'll see elaborate and meticulously done art pieces then upon closer inspection see that it was completed when one of them was seven years old. It's funny, astonishing, and sad at the same time. I can't even draw a decent stick figure for crying out loud. The best paintings for me are the ones by the patriarch, Jose "Pitok" Blanco. His pieces are riveting and give you a glimpse on what it was like to live in the Rizal province during his time.

Spending an afternoon at the National Museum of the Philippines turned out to be one of the most…read morefascinating ways I could have learned more about my husband's country of birth. And honestly, I was not fully prepared for just how vast and layered Philippine history actually is. The National Museum complex is enormous and covers multiple museums and collections ranging from natural history, anthropology, archaeology, fine arts, indigenous cultures, colonial history, biodiversity, and the many different regions and peoples that make up the Philippines. Walking through the exhibits, you quickly realize the Philippines is not just "one culture," but a massive tapestry of languages, traditions, histories, and influences shaped by centuries of trade, migration, colonization, resistance, and survival. One of the most famous highlights inside the museum system is Juan Luna's *Spoliarium*, an enormous and emotionally powerful painting considered one of the greatest treasures of Filipino art and nationalism. Even tourists unfamiliar with Philippine history usually stop in awe when they see the sheer scale of it in person. Outside the museum, I was especially fascinated by the massive "Tree of Life" structure inside the National Museum of Natural History. It stretches dramatically upward through the center of the building and symbolizes the incredible biodiversity and interconnected ecosystems found throughout the Philippine islands. It is honestly one of the most visually striking museum interiors I've seen anywhere. Now, fair warning: If you visit during school hours, prepare yourself for children. Children everywhere. Apparently Filipino schools absolutely love bringing students here for field trips, and during our visit there were enormous groups of excited students moving through nearly every section of the museum. Honestly though, it was actually kind of heartwarming seeing so many kids actively engaged and learning about their own country's history. The museum itself is very large, and once you start walking, you are going to be walking quite awhile. One small complaint I did have was the lack of seating areas throughout some sections. At a certain point my husband and I found ourselves quietly scanning corners for open benches like exhausted archaeological explorers searching for buried treasure. Still, the experience was absolutely worth it. I loved wandering through the exhibits with my husband, listening to him explain little pieces of Filipino culture and history to me while I absorbed it all through fresh eyes. It felt less like simply visiting a museum and more like gaining a deeper understanding of a country and people I have grown to love deeply myself. The Philippines truly is a beautiful country -- not just in scenery, but in history, resilience, culture, and spirit. And this museum does a wonderful job reminding visitors of that.

During our travels in the Philippines, we made the most of our time visiting the cultural gems…read moreManila has to offer with the National Museum being one of them. My non-Filipino husband was interested in learning about my heritage which inspired my cousin to put together a day trip to the museum. The National Museum is comprised of multiple buildings which are: *The National Museum of Fine Arts *The National Museum of Anthropology *The National Museum of Natural History All are within the same compound but if you plan to visit all 3 buildings be prepared to wear comfortable shoes fit for a day's worth of walking. I also recommend bringing a bottle of water if you can. The museums are free to the public and we managed to visit two out of the three buildings (Fine Arts and Anthropology). We briefly visited the Fine Arts building and were impressed by the massive murals steps within entering. The most moving and impressive works come from one of the country's renowned painters, Juan Luna. His masterpiece, Spoilarium, is one not to miss. It was also interesting to read up on his life which oddly had a dark and ill-fated twist. The Anthropology building has fascinating curated material with discovered relics spanning the country. Some of the oldest material on exhibit dates from 5 BC. Currently artifacts continue to be uncovered/donated and the collection perpetually grows. Overall, the Anthropology museum was our favorite. We left very impressed with the exhibits. Aside from the common touristy things to do, don't discount the National Museum. The information and history behind each piece will leave you culturally enriched.

Made famous by the movie Rescue At Dawn. This is the memorial dedicated for those that participated…read morein the most successful rescue operations during WWII. US Rangers accompanied by filipino guerrillas forces conducted the raid that rescued 516 POW's from sure death under the Japanese. If you ever find yourself in this part of the Philippines. Take time to visit this memorial. It could use a little TLC but whomever designed it definitely captures the significance of that raid that took place in the dawn hours of that faithful day. The rooftop memorial has an hour by hour breakdown of the events that took place surrounding a sundial design. Take a glimpse from the satellite view. This Ninja marks this historical sight as a must see!

Visited The Mind Museum and had a great time exploring. The museum is modern, well-organized, and…read morepacked with interactive exhibits that make science fun and easy to understand for all ages. One of the highlights was the human evolution section, with detailed life-size figures and displays that walk you through how humans developed over time. There are also engaging exhibits on biology, space, physics, and technology that keep you curious as you move from gallery to gallery. We especially enjoyed a mirror-style exhibit that visually displays two individuals into one reflection -- a creative and fun way to explore perception and how the mind interprets images. The space is clean, air-conditioned, and easy to navigate, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It's a great stop if you're in the BGC area and looking for something educational, interactive, and family-friendly. Highly recommended for kids, teens, and adults alike.

The Mind Museum was a fun kid-centered oasis in the midst of the hustle and bustle of BGC. There…read morewas so much to do and learn. This would be a wonderful place to conduct a field trip. We went on a weekday and the place was pretty empty. We spent about 2.5 hours there and probably could have spent a couple more. We definitely recommend people to the Mind Museum.

Beautiful place perfect for students and adults to learn and unwind. I recommend for anyone to…read morecheck out with good photo opportunities and experience something new

Art in Island is a beautiful museum. Featuring an assortment of interactive art and an exhibition…read morearea, there is something for every age and every art lover. Some optical illusions of famous work, shadow walls, a state of the art 360 viewing room, and 3D pieces make this place a phenomenal way to spend a few hours. They have nursing rooms and a lovely cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Oh yeah, wear sox or you will have to buy some; there are no shoes allowed.

Just from their city hall alone I could somehow tell why Angono is the art capital of the…read morePhilippines. They already have street art there, most striking of which to me are the statues of Malakas and Maganda coming out from split bamboos. As my travel companions and I walked around the poblacion area, we noticed street art on the walls and gates of houses. It was kind of unreal, seeing tricycles whiz by these artworks, which are so good they look like they belong in museums and galleries. But here they are on the streets, for everyone's enjoyment. There were the musical notes for the classic lullaby "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan," composed by National Artist Lucio San Pedro, there were works by National Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco, there were the "Songs of the Brown Man," which depict different states of mind, being, and scenarios, like "Dedication," and "Articulate Madness." Even welcome signs - or rather, statues - were works of art.

Scrolling down my Facebook and Twitter timeline, I noticed that a lot of young people like me are…read moregoing to mountainous regions near Manila to try out hiking. I'm not really a fan of hiking or physical activities in general, but for some reason I got a bit jealous. I also wanted to go hiking with my friends as part of our yearly barkada goals. When my friend heard that I was interested in hiking, he immediately planned a trip to Tanay, Rizal. He told us that he knows this really cool place where we could hike. It took us 1 and a half hours to get to Tanay, Rizal. We first went to Brgy. Daraitan to contact a tour guide. When we finally found a tour guide for our day trip, we decided to head out to Mt. Daraitan. We only assigned one person from our barkada to take pictures, because we heard that a girl fell down the mountain while she was taking selfies (Yikes!). During our hike, there were many campsites and way points where we rested. There's also a super clean river down the mountain where some of my friends bathe in. If you want to visit an ecotourism site, you can take an alternate trail to Mt. Lugang, a beautiful mountainous region deep within Sierra Madre. This place will surely make you appreciate the beauty of mother nature. It was a very tiring adventure. At first, I was really scared, but the tour guide told me that I'll be safe as long as I follow all of his guidelines. This experience is definitely one for the books!

I was so amazed with how the river looks. Although the ride going to this scenic view is quite long…read moreand bumpy, its actually worth the wait. You have to go in groups though so you will not ripped off your pocket. Its also better if you have your own private car because the only means of transportation is trike going to barangay Daraitan. Just make sure the vehicle will endure the rocky road, literally its super bumpy and kinda steep. Also you have to pay for registrations, mandatory tour guide, bridge and so on.. that's why its better if you're in groups. Locals were nice and friendly though.