Amidst the hustle of the business district of Makati, is Ayala Museum, a safe haven where one can breathe in and transport themselves to a place where creativity, art, and culture is the norm. Located a mere half an hours’ walk away from Berjaya Makati Hotel, and in the vicinity of plenty of restaurants, in Makati itinerary, Ayala Museum is a must-visit.
As is wont to be with any museum, Ayala museum, too, provides an insight into the glorious history of the country. Among its most treasured exhibits are “Golf of Ancestor: Pre-Colonial Treasures in the Philippines”, an artefact depicting the inherent craftsmanship of the Filipinos. Bearing testimony to the healthy and wealthy relationship the country has had with its neighbours, an exhibit titled “A Millennium of Contact” is present with ceramics from China and Southeast Asia being on display.
Sitting in the place of a modern celebrity is Ayala Museum’s collection of 60 handcrafted dioramas, illustrating a narrative of the history of Philippines. This sits in such prestigious position due to some of the dioramas being featured in Google Art Project, an international project carried out by Google celebrating art.
The museum is open for public viewing Tuesday through Sunday, from 9am to 6pm. The state of the art library facility of the museum, however, operates only from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm. Guided tours can be arranged at the museum itself, but requires a notice of three days. Alternatively, a visitor can rent an audio device at the desk in order to glean information about the exhibits through audio tapes.
If calling ahead, one can make an appointment to pay a visit to the Ceramics Study Centre, where over 2000 tiles and ceramic ware are studied for their history and craftsmanship. Among all these intriguing exhibits is the museum gift shop, a must-stop for you to have a chance to take a bit of Ayala Museum and the proud Philippine history home with you, as a memorabilia of an unforgettable visit.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+
